The UF women’s tennis team gets a lot of attention for its depth, featuring five players ranked in the top 40 of the ITA singles rankings.
But the biggest strength of the No. 2 Gators is the team’s top-tier players.
Florida has jumped out to a 10-1 nonconference record this spring on the backs of Allie Will and Lauren Embree, the team’s star sophomores who have created a formidable tandem since arriving on campus last year.
“Allie and Lauren are both playing at a very high level,” coach Roland Thornqvist said during his team’s appearance at the ITA Indoor Championships last week.
“They both have experience from last year and we’re relying on them heavily right now.”
Last season, Embree and Will played on Courts 1 and 2, respectively, becoming only the third pair of UF freshmen to start a dual match season in the top two spots.
The duo performed consistently throughout the season, rarely showing signs of freshman inexperience.
Embree posted a 20-3 record on Court 1 while Will went 26-1 on Court 2.
The star freshmen led Florida to a 29-3 overall record last spring, with the campaign ending in a heartbreaking loss in the NCAA final to Stanford.
After Embree suffered an offseason wrist injury requiring surgery, the two switched positions at the start of the 2011 season.
But they both had the same goal: to lead Florida back to familiar heights.
An undefeated start paved the way for Will to power the Gators to a deep run at the Indoor Championships, where she dominated her opponents on Court 1.
However, the trip ended in an all-too-familiar way for Florida, as the Gators fell short in the final to Stanford in a 4-2 decision.
This season, Will has put together a 9-0 record, with each of her victories coming on Court 1.
Embree has also thrived in her new role, recording a 7-0 record on Court 2.
After an entire week of rest, which Thornqvist said was used to recuperate, UF is almost ready to open conference play.
But first, Florida (10-1) will have to travel to Tallahassee today to take on No. 20 Florida State (4-2) in the Gators’ seventh consecutive contest away from their home court.
Will and Embree won’t be taking the Seminoles lightly, as FSU is coming off an impressive 5-2 win over No. 15 Georgia Tech on Saturday.
“We have to learn how to compete in a hostile environment,” Thornqvist said.
“Florida State will certainly be tough. The crowd is usually on top of us there and we’ve got to expect that.”
The Gators have had immense success against Florida State in the past, holding a 50-1 all-time record against the Seminoles.
Thornqvist said the key to beating FSU and recovering from “the indoor hangover” is to keep cool in Tallahassee.
“We try to downplay the emotional side of playing Florida State and play the tennis match as a tennis match,” he said. “Just keep it to forehands and backhands.”
