Lauren Embree keeps advancing in the NCAA Singles Tournament. She
keeps playing better players as she inches closer to another
championship, and she’s still undefeated.
Despite the emotional high of willing the UF women’s tennis team to
a national championship just four days ago, Embree has put together
a fantastic singles run to advance to the semifinals of the
individual tournament.
Saturday, she beat No. 23 Mari Andersson in straight sets, becoming
the first Gator to reach the NCAA Singles semifinals since
2005.
“Lauren is really tough,” coach Roland Thornqvist said. “She’s very
mentally solid and she’s had a good attitude every match here. When
you get to this stage, the margin is so small you have to be
mentally sharp with your skills as well as your mind and take
advantage of every opportunity that presents itself.”
Embree’s record moved to 28-0 on the year, and the sophomore will
face Stanford’s Nicole Gibbs in the semifinal. Gibbs is ranked No.
18 in the country while Embree is ranked No. 17.
Gibbs has faced her share of Gators this year, beating junior
Joanna Mather in February at the ITA Indoor Championships and
topping freshman Sofie Oyen in the NCAA Final just four days
ago.
Florida’s best doubles team of Allie Will and Alex Cercone came up
just short in the NCAA Doubles Tournament quarterfinals Saturday,
falling in straight sets to Clemson’s pair of Josipa Bek and Keri
Wong.
Will and Cercone beat Bek and Wong on May 20 in the Gators’ NCAA
Round of 16 dual match, but didn’t have the right chemistry to
advance to the semifinals.
“They didn’t communicate as well as they should have in the
quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships,” Thornqvist said. “I’m
sure they’re disappointed and they should be. They did lose,
however, to one of the best teams in the country.”
Will and Cercone ended their season with their first loss as
doubles partners. The duo finished 14-1 in their first year playing
together.
“Alex and Allie have superseded all of my expectations this year,”
Thornqvist said. “There’s no shame in losing to [Bek and Wong], but
I’m sure we’re a little disappointed that we didn’t play as well as
we could today.”
MEN’S
Florida’s Alexandre Lacroix and Sekou Bangoura Jr. will play at
least one more match together.
The
Gators’ impressive doubles pairing continued their strong year
together, beating Louisville’s Austen Childs and Viktor Maksimcuk
in straight sets in Saturday’s NCAA Doubles Tournament
quarterfinals.
“They played their best match of the year today, so that’s very
exciting in the quarters of the NCAA,” coach Andy Jackson said.
“[Assistant coach] Jeremy Bayon has worked extremely hard with
them, and I’m proud of all three of those guys because they’ve got
a real chance in this tournament.”
Lacroix and Bangoura will face a huge challenge in Sunday’s
quarterfinals against Stanford’s Bradley Klahn and Ryan
Thacher.
