In Florida’s match against Arkansas on Saturday, one could not spell “clincher” without senior Josie Kuhlman.
Both of Kuhlman’s matches — one in doubles alongside partner McCartney Kessler and one in singles against opponent Ana Oparenovic — were instrumental in propelling the Gators to their third consecutive trip to the SEC Tournament finals after UF defeated Arkansas 4-2 at the Barksdale Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday.
UF struck first in doubles play, as senior Peggy Porter and freshman Katie Kubicz defeated Arkansas’ Agne Cepelyte and Natsuho Arakawa 6-3. However, the duo of senior Anna Danilina and freshman Victoria Emma fell to the Razorbacks’ Oparenovic and Tatum Rice 6-4, bringing doubles play to a tie. Arkansas’ hopes for an early lead were dashed when Kuhlman and Kessler clinched the match, defeating the Razorbacks’ Giulia Pairone and Mia Jurasic 6-4.
Arkansas quickly evened the score in singles play when Arakawa bested Emma 6-2, 6-3. Porter quickly answered and put the Gators in the lead with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Rice, but Jurasic tied the match up at 2-2 when she defeated Kessler by a score of 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.
The tie wouldn’t last, though, as Katie Kubicz defeated Arkansas’ Jackie Carr 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to bring the score to 3-2. Kuhlman was locked in a hard-fought battle with Oparenovic but finished her off just seconds afterward with a grueling 7-5, 7-6 victory.
UF will face Vanderbilt in the final match of the SEC Tournament on Sunday. Florida defeated Ole Miss 4-3 on March 1, while Vanderbilt has gotten the best of the Gators twice this year, beating them 4-0 on Feb. 10 and 4-3 on April 14.
Follow River Wells on Twitter @riverhwells and contact him at rwells@alligator.org.
Senior Josie Kuhlman scored the deciding point in Florida's 4-2 win over Arkansas in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. The Gators will face either Ole Miss or Vanderbilt for the title on Sunday.
