MOBILE, Ala. In past years, Florida International had entered the Sun Belt Conference tournament with high hopes only to have their dreams crushed. This year the Golden Panthers entered the tournament with high hopes and finally claimed the crown.
No. 3 seed FIU won the 2005 Sun Belt Conference Womens Tennis Championships with a 4-1 win over No. 1 seed South Alabama at USAs Lubel Courts.
It feels great because we had come so close in the past, said FIU coach Ronnie Bernstein after the match.
The Golden Panthers finished as runners up three times (2000, '01 and '02) and placed third in each of the last two tournaments.
With the win 48th ranked FIU (18-5) clinched the leagues automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. It also denied 26th ranked USA (18-5) its 16th league tournament crown.
On a clear Sunday afternoon, the Golden Panthers got the all-important doubles point thanks to stellar play at the No. 1 and No. 2 slots. Paula Zabala and Nikkita Fountain got it started with an outstanding 8-0 win over USAs All-Conference duo of Andrea Kurekova and Klara Jarova.
Bruna Discorida and Courtney Jonson clinched the point with an 8-4 flight three win over Dijana Stanic and Dominika Nemcovicova.
Florida International continued the momentum in first flight singles as Zabala made short work of Ana Rupic 6-1, 6-1 to gain the matches first singles point.
After Stanic tightened the match with a win at No. 6, the Golden Panthers dug in. Shilla DArmas claimed FIUs third point with a 7-5, 6-1 flight four win over Katarina Palenikova.
Egle Petrauskaite clinched the championship in a dramatic 6-2, 7-4 flight two win over Kurekova.
Zabala was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Player, going 2-0 in No. 1 singles and 3-0 in No. 1 doubles. The sophomore is ranked 43rd nationally.