With the SEC title on the line, the Gators women’s tennis team found itself in a hole. After six consecutive shutouts, Florida went down early to No. 5 Vanderbilt after losing the doubles point for only the fourth time this season.
It didn't get any easier for the Gators, as the Commodores outplayed Florida 4-2 and handed the team its second loss of the season.
Earlier, on Friday, Florida continued the dominance that it's shown all season with a 4-0 sweep over Kentucky. However, Sunday was anything but dominant.
Vanderbilt got off to a quick start, swiping the doubles point. After splitting the point with a Florida win on Court 2 and a Vanderbilt win on Court 1, it was Vandy’s Christina Rosca and Fernanda Contreras who clinched the point with a 6-4 victory over Belinda Woolcock and Josie Kuhlman.
Singles play proved to be even more difficult, as both teams battled back and forth to take control of the game. Brooke Austin struck first with a quick 6-4, 6-4 win over Georgina Sellyn to tie the match at one.
Vanderbilt hit back, as Contreras outplayed Kourtney Keegan 6-2, 6-3 and put the Commodores back in the lead. Playing from behind her entire match, Woolcock was the next victim, as Astra Sharma beat the senior 6-2, 6-4.
Down 3-1, the Gators’ chances were fleeting. As Anna Danilina went into a tiebreaker second set, Vanderbilt delivered the final blow. In what was a tight game throughout, Sydney Campbell defeated Kuhlman 7-6, 6-4 to clinch the match for the Commodores.
“Vanderbilt played a championship-caliber match today,” coach Roland Thornqvist said in a release. “It was like a real SEC final, and they played with better courage than we had in doubles. I thought they were stronger than we were in singles, also.”
With Georgia’s loss to Texas A&M on Sunday, Vanderbilt outright won the SEC regular-season title with a 12-1 conference record.
Both teams will now turn their attention to the SEC tournament, which starts on Wednesday. Vanderbilt, Florida and Georgia have earned double-round byes in the tournament as the three sit atop the SEC standings.
Thornqvist hopes that Sunday’s loss will fuel the Gators and provide them with motivation to play better in the upcoming week. He said he’s hoping that the loss to Vanderbilt will provide them with an edge in the postseason.
“I told our players that I hope it really motivates us for next week because for such a big match, it was disappointing that we couldn’t raise our level better than this,” Thornqvist said. “I think all our players agreed.”
Contact Spencer Thompson at sthompson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @spencemthompson.
UF coach Roland Thornqvist looks on during Florida's 4-2 win against Oklahoma State on Feb. 18, 2017, at the Ring Tennis Complex.
