Down 3-2, Florida’s seniors could only watch as their younger teammates tried to complete a comeback bid in front of a deafening Georgia crowd.
Kourtney Keegan had just entered a third set on Court 6, and Belinda Woolcock was trying desperately to rally from a 3-5 deficit in her second set.
But unlike her dual match against Virginia, where Woolcock won the final point in a 4-2 nail-biter, no late clincher was in store for the Gators.
No. 12 Georgia (12-2, 5-0 SEC) pulled out a late 4-2 victory to hand Florida (12-3, 4-1 SEC) its first Southeastern Conference loss of the season.
“I’m very proud of this team because the atmosphere here in the indoor center was, in my 13 years at Florida, the toughest atmosphere that we’ve played in,” coach Roland Thornqvist said. “It was a fantastic crowd, they were relentless and they really helped Georgia sustain their momentum throughout the match.”
Florida was pounded in doubles action in one of its most lopsided doubles defeats this season. After that, they never gained enough momentum to come back from the deficit.
Georgia’s No. 3 doubles pairing of Lauren Herring and Maho Kowase easily handled Sofie Oyen and Woolcock, winning 8-0. It was the first time all season Florida was held scoreless in a doubles match.
Next, Alexandra Cercone and Brianna Morgan lost 8-2 to give UGA the lead heading into singles play.
Georgia captured the next two points in straight sets, defeating Olivia Janowicz 6-2, 6-4 and Cercone 6-2, 6-3 to take a 3-0 lead and all but seal the upset.
But the Gators didn’t break yet.
With the match on the line, Oyen and Morgan clawed their way back to win their respective matches after both lost their first sets. Oyen put UF on the scoreboard with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory and Morgan pulled the team within one after winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
But the 3-point deficit was too much to overcome, and Florida’s comeback came to a halt.
Woolcock lost 6-4, 6-3 to give Florida its third loss of the season.
“Although they outplayed us for the majority of the beginning of the match, we somehow found a way to make it 3-2 and make it interesting,” Thornqvist said. “ I thought Georgia played a fantastic match, really.”
So fantastic, in fact, that the three-time National Champion coach of the Gators picked them to win it all.
“If [Georgia] can play like this at home, they will be my pick to win the national championship,” he said.
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @ibcohen5
Olivia Janowicz returns the ball during Florida’s 4-0 win against Harvard on Jan. 26 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
