The lineup was different, but the result was familiar.
The No. 7 Gators (5-0) featured a new doubles lineup at the No. 3 spot, and moved singles players No. 2-6 all up one court to make room for freshman Brittany Borsanyi at the No. 6 spot, in their 7-0 win over Troy on Sunday.
No. 15 freshman Lauren Embree, who usually plays on the first court, did not play.
UF women’s coach Roland Thornqvist said the decision was about letting everyone get playing time on a team with such depth.
In singles, Embree was replaced by No. 13 freshman Allie Will at the No. 1 spot.
Freshman Caroline Hitimana played at the No. 2 position in doubles with senior Anastasia Revzina, who usually partners with Embree.
Hitimana and Revzina had no trouble winning their set 8-2 to clinch the doubles point.
Will did not stumble in her first time at No. 1 as she won in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
“I told Allie, any time you’re at No. 1 wearing that Florida jersey, you’re going to get their best shot,” Thornqvist said. “Whoever you face is going to play like they have nothing to lose against the Gators.”
The Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week thought she could have performed better despite the results.
“It was a good experience, even if I didn’t play my best tennis,” Will said. “I had my teammates’ support and I felt I played a much better second set after the nerves settled.”
Borsanyi did not lose a set in her debut. She and sophomore Claire Bartlett won their doubles set 8-6. They were the last of the three doubles teams to finish.
“When you’re the third team to finish you have the attention of the whole stadium,” Thornqvist said. “That’s something you can’t prepare for in practice.”
In singles play, Borsanyi won in straight sets 6-0, 6-4.
UF’s home match winning streak is now 71.
With the four-day ITA Team Indoor Championships starting Friday in Madison, Wis., Florida perhaps gets its best test today when they host USF at 3 p.m.
“They have the best one through six lineup we’ve faced so far,” Thornqvist said.
USF has shown a tendency to play up to in-state competition. The Bulls beat No. 21 FSU 5-2 on Jan. 23 in Tallahassee.
The men’s team easily defeated FAU 7-0 on Saturday.
It gave the men’s team one last chance to gain court experience before the Gators (4-1) head to Charlottesville, Va., for the quarterfinals of the ITA Indoor Championships.
Only two of the matches Saturday did not end in straight sets with freshmen Sekou Bangoura Jr. and Billy Federhofer both needing a tiebreaker.
