Report on the Florida Gators women’s tennis team:
ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 4 University of Florida women’s tennis team swept the No. 3 University of Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night in Athens, Ga. to claim the program’s 29th SEC Regular Season Championship. The Gators are now 12-0 in SEC play with a 12 match winning streak.
The No. 5-ranked tandem of Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan started doubles play off with a 6-2 win over No. 20-ranked Perez and Gould. Brianna Morgan and Anna Danilina would clinch the point for the Orange and Blue with a 6-3 victory over Brinson and Patterson.
Danilina was the first off the court with a 6-3, 6-0 dominating win over Laura Patterson on court six. Keegan was next off the court with an upset of No. 29 Carolina Brinson, 6-4, 6-4. Fittingly, it the senior Morgan who would clinch another SEC title for the Florida Gators with a 6-3, 6-3 win on court three to seal the outright championship.
UF has now claimed 29 SEC Regular Season Championships and will look to remain undefeated in SEC play on Sunday afternoon against the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On winning the 2016 SEC Championship on the road at Georgia…
“It was so rewarding to see the poise at which we competed today. It was a great college tennis environment. The crowd was fantastic for Georgia. Our players did an amazing job of staying focused and staying together. It was probably the best I have seen our team glue together and play at a high level on the road. It has been a long year. We have put in a lot of hard work and at this point, we are one match away from SEC perfection. Despite having already clinched the title outright, this team will set its sights on a zero in the right column on Sunday.”
By the Numbers:
29 SEC Regular Season Championship for the University of Florida women’s tennis program
11 SEC Regular Season Titles under head coach Roland Thornqvist
48 combined number of SEC Championship trophies for the women’s tennis team
12 Match Winning Streak since the beginning of March
3 Wins for the Florida Gators against Top-5 opponents this season
2 SEC Regular Season titles that senior Brianna Morgan has clinched in the past two seasons
1 more win for perfection in SEC play this season
Final Results:
#4 Florida 4, #3 Georgia 0
Doubles-Order of Finish: 1, 3*
#5 Austin/Keegan (UF) def. #20 Gould/Perez (UGA) 6-2
#35 Kuhlman/Woolcock (UF) vs. Garcia/Shaffer (UGA) 5-2, susp.
#64 Danilina/Morgan (UF) def. Brinson/Patterson (UGA) 6-3
Singles-Order of Finish: 6, 4, 3*
#7 Brooke Austin (UF) vs. Ellen Perez (UGA) 4-6, 7-6(1), 0-1, susp.
#9 Belinda Woolcock (UF) vs. #46 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) 7-5, 3-4, susp.
Brianna Morgan (UF) def. #86 Silvia Garcia (UGA) 6-3. 6-3
#43 Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. #29 Carolina Brinson (UGA) 6-4, 6-4
Josie Kuhlman (UF) vs. Mariana Gould (UGA) 6-4, 2-6, 0-1, susp.
#61 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Laura Patterson (UGA) 6-3, 6-0