“My goal in this tournament was to get back into a competing mode and work on certain aspects of my game,” said Doerfler. “I feel like I did that and felt like I played some of the strongest tennis I’ve played. Each match brought a different obstacle, but I was happy with the way I figured out how to overcome them.
“In the finals, after losing the first set, I realized that I needed to keep her deeper and work the point more. I was determined not to let the chance of winning an ITA slip away. I can’t even describe the excitement I felt as I won the last point of the match to win the tournament. I was so excited, not only for me winning, but to represent UCF in my win. I truly had fun competing and had a support system of relatives and friends in Tallahassee that gave me great energy. I also loved playing doubles with my sister Jillian, and besides winning the tournament, that was a highlight for me.”
After receiving a bye into the round of 16, Doerfler rolled into the semifinals with a pair of straight-victories, highlighted by a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Furman’s Margaret Ann Boyette in the quarters. Doerfler then topped five-star recruit Erin Stephens (Ole Miss), 7-5, 5-3 def., to reach the championship match. That was when another Mississippi signee fell to Doerfler as well, as the UCF junior edged blue chip recruit Julia Jones, 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(10-7), to secure the first-place crown.
It also was a family affair in the doubles draw, where Doerfler teamed up with sister Jillian, who will be attending Florida Southern in the fall, to reach the semifinals.
As a sophomore, Doerfler collected nine singles victories including six during the 2011 dual-match season. She also racked up seven wins on the doubles court. In two years with the Black and Gold, Doerfler has 23 singles victories and 18 doubles triumphs.