Another one bites the dust.
The Florida women’s tennis team’s run at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships has come to an end as the Gators couldn’t get past the quarterfinal round of the tournament in singles and doubles play.
Sophomore Brooke Austin and junior Belinda Woolcock both lost in their respective draws eliminating the Gators in singles play.
Austin had a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-4, over Texas’s Beauna Addison before falling to Virginia’s Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-0.
Woolcock would upset No. 6 Stephanie Wagner of The University of Miami in the second round 6-1, 6-3. The quarterfinals saw Woolcock face off against No. 4 Maegan Manasse of California. Woolcock would lose 6-4, 6-4.
In the singles back draw, sophomore Josie Kuhlman would lose in a three-set match to Colorado’s Tina Bokhua, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6(5).
The Gators were also defeated in doubles action when Austin and junior Kourtney Keegan fell to UNC’s Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay, 8-2.
The women’s team will next compete in the USTA/ITA Regional in Athens, Georgia on Oct. 22.
The men’s team had a different outcome after Friday’s match play.
Five players advanced in their respective draws in the Saint Francis Health Care System ITA Men’s All-American Championships.
Junior captain Elliott Orkin took down Tulsa’s Mitchell Pritchard in a straight-sets winning 6-3, 6-2.
Sophomore Chase Perez-Blanco came back from a one set deficit to defeat No. 26 Tin Ostojic of Wichita State 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Coach Bryan Shelton said he was pleased with the way Perez-Blanco was able to maintain himself during his match to eventually pull out a win.
“It was nice to see Chase bounce back strong today,” Shelton said in a release.
Senior Diego Hidalgo and freshman Alfredo Perez would both fall in their respective singles matches on Friday. Hidalgo would fall in a three-set match to Edoardo Tessaro of Virginia Tech, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. Perez lost to Korey Lovett of Alabama 6-4, 6-4.
The No. 23-ranked doubles pairing of Hidalgo and senior Gordon Watson beat the No. 9-ranked Lovett and Becker O’Shaughnessey of Alabama 6-3, 6-4.
Maxx Lipman and Orkin defeated Matthew Kirby and Dylan McCloskey of Tulsa in a three-set battle going 1-6, 6-2, 1-0(7).
Shelton said he is pleased with the way the doubles teams are performing.
“Both of our doubles teams played well again today and we are working so well together,” Shelton said.
The Gators will continue play today.
Follow Madison Belfour on Twitter @madisonbel4
Coach Bryan Shelton talks with sophomores Elliott Orkin and Maxx Lipman during Florida's 9-3 win against William & Mary on Jan. 10 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
