The Gators’ road trip didn’t go quite as they had hoped.
No. 4 Florida (13-4, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) has lost two of its last four matches, defeating Tennessee and Auburn but falling short against then-No. 11 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama.
UF will look to improve its play against SEC opponents when it faces Arkansas (7-5, 2-6 SEC) today at 3 p.m.
A year after winning its last conference championship, the Gators are having a harder time of it this season. They have easily handled the SEC’s weaker teams — Missouri, South Carolina and UT — but have been inconsistent against the conference’s elite.
In the SEC, that’s easier said then done.
Alabama sits atop the conference and is currently riding an 11-match winning streak, its longest of the season. Two spots below Alabama rests Georgia, a team coach Roland Thornqvist openly declared as his “pick to win the national championship” in May. Both teams defeated Florida, although home-court advantage may have been the deciding factor.
The Gators sit in sixth place in the conference, safely above the mediocre teams but hovering just underneath the SEC’s upper echelon.
Despite its middle-of–the-pack standing in its own conference, UF is ranked fourth in the nation, moving up from last week’s No. 5 ranking despite losing to Alabama. In fact, the Gators have more losses then the No. 5 and 6 teams combined.
Sophomore Brianna Morgan will be key to getting the team on track.
In the Gators’ last two matches, Thornqvist started Morgan above senior Olivia Janowicz on Court 1. It was a move that the coach hinted at earlier in the season.
“[Brianna] had that little shoulder injury that set her back and she couldn’t train much over break,” he said. “When she trains for an extended period of time she could be one of the top three or four players in the country, no question about it… I still think we’re going to see the best tennis she has later on.”
In addition, Florida has a favorable schedule ahead. Four of its last six matches are at home and all are against SEC opponents. UF boasts a 187-1 all-time record against conference teams at home.
Perhaps a lineup change and a bit of scheduling luck will be enough to propel the Gators back atop the SEC, beginning with Arkansas today.
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @ibcohen5
