MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Elisabeth Abanda rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the first set to win her No. 2 singles match, and No. 4-ranked Barry University women's tennis team shut out No. 9 California-Pennsylvania, 7-0, Wednesday.
Abanda, who battled illness earlier in the season, overcame 29 unforced errors in the first set in a big comeback win over No. 41 Lucie Rey, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
"I really had to start fresh, and not look at the score," Abanda said, compartmentalizing her approach from the 5-0 deficit. "I had to play to win, and not to lose. I was trying to be more patient, and it worked so I kept doing the same thing."
Abanda won six straight games after finding herself down 5-Love in the first set. Rey won the next game to send it to a first-set tiebreaker. But Abanda recollected herself in the tiebreaker to take the opening set.
"She seemed to be getting really nervous, so I thought to myself, 'If I stick to it, I can win this first set,'" said Abanda, who produced five winners in that set.
Abanda fired off one of her five aces in the match to take a 3-1 lead in the second set. Abanda capitalized on Rey's double fault to win the fifth game before wrapping up the match by winning the last two games.
"I feel like I have more confidence, and if that situation will reproduce, I can look back on that match and say, 'I did it. I can come back from 5-0 and win the set,'" said Abanda, who committed 11 unforced errors in the second set. "It's been technical. I wasn't really playing my game, and I really don't want it to be a habit. I want to get back to my game."
Emma Onila beat No. 31 Lucie Sipkova, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 1 singles. She is now 3-1 against ranked opponents. Karina Goia swept Maxime Colen, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 3 singles to improve to 14-0.
Akemi Maehama beat Elizabeth Guy, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 4 singles. Maehama wore down Guy with her patented looping volleys and eventual putaway winners.
Linda Fritschken and Kimmy Twelker won the only doubles match of the day, collecting two points for the Bucs for the second time in as many completed matches. The Bucs duo, who remain unbeaten together, defeated Alexandra Borgenhoff and Ramona Czakon, 6-3, 6-3, at the No. 1 pairs flight.
The Bucs (17-0) will host No. 1 and defending NCAA champion Armstrong Atlantic (14-0) 10 a.m. Friday at Buccaneer Tennis Center.