One Gator left with a championship on Sunday as Allie Will won the consolation singles draw of the 2010 ITA Women's All-American Championships.
The sophomore’s road to the championship wasn’t easy as she took on a formidable opponent in No. 15 Aeriel Ellis of Texas in the finals.
A 2010 All-Big 12 selection and 2010 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the year, Ellis battled No. 5-Will for three hard-fought sets.
After dropping the first set, Will dominated the final two frames to earn a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory. With the win, Will improved her career singles record to an impressive 51-6, including three singles championships.
The victory on Sunday capped off the eight-day tournament in Pacific Palisades, Calif. which saw the Gators’ younger players step up.
Early in the tournament the Gators had impressive performances by freshmen Sofie Oyen and Alexandra Cercone, as both players made it to the qualifying draw.
Oyen also showed her talents in doubles over the weekend as she and Will picked up two victories in the doubles consolation, including a win against Sacramento State’s No. 43 pair of Tatsiana Kapshai and Rebeca Delgado.
Although the Gators weren’t able to pick up any other championships, the team will have some time to practice and improve over the next two weeks in preparation for their next big test.
The Gators will resume play Oct. 22 when they travel to Athens, Ga. to take part in the ITA Southeast Regional.
The high-stakes tournament has significant implications because the top two singles winners and doubles winner will advance to the ITA National Indoor Championships.
