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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Victoria Emma is one of three UF women's tennis singles players ranked in the ITA's top 125. She is ranked No. 124.&nbsp;</p>

Victoria Emma is one of three UF women's tennis singles players ranked in the ITA's top 125. She is ranked No. 124. 

The Florida women’s tennis team’s season has been defined by 4-3 thrillers.

 

It has had 10 of its 23 matches go the distance to the final match, with Florida finishing on the losing end in seven of those.

The No. 24 Gators’ quarterfinal match against No. 5 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament on Friday was no different, with the Gators’ comeback attempt falling short in a 4-3 loss in College Station, Texas.

“We are a disappointed bunch,” coach Roland Thornqvist said in a release. “I thought we had a chance to get them here but credit to South Carolina.”

No. 7-seed Florida took on the No. 2-seed Gamecocks in for the second time in one week after finishing its conference schedule with a 4-2 loss at home to South Carolina.

In that match, Florida opened play sluggishly with poor doubles play leading to a quick 1-0 deficit. The Gators learned from their mistakes, though, and they came out in the quarterfinal match ready to play.

Sophomore tandem and No. 42-ranked pairing Victoria Emma and McCartney Kessler started it off with a rematch against No. 1 duo Mia Horvit and Gamarra Martins.

After suffering a 6-3 defeat last week, Florida’s tandem commanded Friday’s match with an easy 6-1 victory. Freshman duo Sydney Berlin and Marlee Zein defeated Kennedy Wicker and Megan Davies 6-2 to claim the opening point.  

South Carolina found its rhythm in singles play, though.

The Gamecocks suffocated Florida after one set by leading on five of the six courts.

“In singles, it just ran away from us too quickly and too easily,” Thornqvist said. “There was too many easy first set losses that helped (the Gamecocks) regain their momentum.”

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That momentum was capped off with three straight wins for South Carolina to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

No. 84 Horvit stuck first against Emma in a 6-0, 6-3 rout on Court 3, and No. 4 Martins followed with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of No. 15 Ida Jarlskog. Zein lost to Davies in a straight 6-0, 6-4 loss.

All hope wasn’t lost for the Gators, though, as No. 35 Kessler claimed the second point for Florida after a 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 finish over No. 23 Paige Cline. Berlin picked up a victory on Court 6 against Rachel Rohrabacher in a three-set win to tie the match at three.

Tsveta Dimitrova couldn’t overcome her third-set deficit on Court 5, falling to Silvia Chinellato 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, which advanced South Carolina into the semifinal round. Florida suffered its second loss in the quarterfinal round in program history and was eliminated by the Gamecocks for the first time ever.

"I think we're close but we're clearly not all the way there,” Thornqvist said of his team’s improvement moving forward. “We're certainly disappointed but competing the way we did definitely gives us hope heading into the NCAA Tournament.”

Follow Victor Prieto on Twitter @victorprieto_11 and contact him at vprieto@alligator.org. 

Sophomore tandem and No. 42-ranked pairing Victoria Emma (pictured) and McCartney Kessler topped South Carolina's No. 1 duo Mia Horvit and Gamarra Martins, 6-1.

 

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