Sofie Oyen trudged off the court and tossed her racket on the ground in disgust. Frustration had gotten the better of the sophomore, and she trailed her match 6-2.
She had been abused in the first set by Duke’s Mary Clayton, a rarity for the No. 39 player in the country.
“I was down pretty fast,” she said. “I was making a lot of mistakes, and she was playing really aggressive. After that, I started to play really aggressive.”
After that first set, Oyen went into full-on attack mode. She was aggressive, accurate and perhaps most importantly, composed. Within minutes of the beginning of the second set, it was clear that Oyen was taking control. Her serve was crisp, her shots effective, and she forced her opponent to commit unforced errors.
“When I was up 3-2 in the second set, I played more aggressive, and I got more into the match," Oyen said. "I started screaming. Yeah, I was pumped up. She plays really aggressive, so I tried to play her game.”
“She didn’t change that much,” coach Roland Thornqvist said. “She made a few more balls, left the baseline when she had to a little bit more. She’s playing at a really high level, and that sort of goes for all of our players.”
Oyen won 12 of the final 15 games, taking the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. The win helped the No. 2 Gators (11-1, 4-0 SEC) defeat the No. 5 Blue Devils 5-0.
Oyen is one of two Gators still undefeated this spring in singles play. Her record of 11-0 includes seven straight-set wins and two matches, including Wednesday, in which she dropped the first set and came back to win. While upperclassmen Allie Will, Lauren Embree, and Joanna Mather garner much of the attention, Oyen has been perhaps Florida’s most consistent player this season.
“She’s one of (the most consistent players),” Thornqvist said. “She’s obviously the one who has not lost yet, but she’s one of them. Sofie is a much better player, much tougher player than she was her freshman year.”
After going 15-8 in her freshman year, Oyen has come out this season playing some of the best tennis on the team. Wednesday’s match showcased a confident, resilient, and talented player. Oyen’s rank will only continue to rise as her 11-match winning streak continues. She will even admit that she is very comfortable with her play.
“I feel like I’m really close (to playing my best),” she said. “I feel like I can play better, but it’s really close. I’m really happy with my game.”
