COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 3 Florida women’s tennis team concluded its 18th undefeated Southeastern Conference season with a 4-0 victory over a tough No. 18 South Carolina team on a windy day at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center.
The Gators (21-2, 11-0 SEC) won their 14th consecutive dual match Saturday.
“We battled a really feisty South Carolina team in very windy conditions with pollen blowing everywhere and our players did a marvelous job staying focused and did a fantastic job handling the ups and downs during the course of the match,” Florida coach Roland Thornqvist said. “To finish 11-0 in our league is something to cherish because our league is second to none.”
Florida won the doubles point with victories on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts, before Joanna Mather, Allie Will and Marrit Boonstra captured singles victories to conclude the match.
“Joanna led us today with a great win over a player who was 9-1 in the league entering today. Joanna won in straight sets and it certainly makes us a much better Gator tennis team when Joanna is playing like she did today,” Thornqvist added.
Mather snapped a two-match slide with an impressive 6-3, 6-3 victory against Adriana Pereira and gave the Gators a 2-0 lead.
Will then won her 20th consecutive singles match with a 6-4, 6-1 decision over Dijana Stojic at the No. 2 position. The win streak by the rookie is tied for the 12th-longest in program history. The victory also marked her 40th singles win of the season (against 3 defeats) and she is 20-0 in dual-match play, including 10-0 in the SEC.
Boonstra then finished Florida’s perfect SEC season with a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Anya Morgina at No. 3 singles. The win was the senior’s 20th this year as she improved to 18-1 in dual matches and 8-0 against league opposition.
Florida has clinched the No. 1 seed for next week’s SEC Tournament that will be held April 22-25 at Georgia. The Gators earned one of the four first-round byes in the 12-team event and will begin action on Friday, April 23.
No. 3 FLORIDA 4, No. 18 SOUTH CAROLINA 0
At Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center, Columbia, S.C.
DOUBLES
1. (5) Marrit Boonstra-Allie Will (F) vs. (18) Dijana Stojic-Ana Marija Zubori (USC), 5-7, suspended; 2. (71) Lauren Embree-Joanna Mather (F) def. Miljana Jocic-Rita Maisak, 8-2; 3. Caroline Hitimana-Anastasia Revzina (F) def. Adriana Pereira-Madeleine Saari-Bystrom, 8-3. Order of finish: 3, 2, suspended. Florida wins doubles point, 2-0.
SINGLES
1. (10) Lauren Embree (F) vs. (53) Ana Marija Zubori (USC), 5-7, 6-1, 4-1 suspended; 2. (7) Allie Will (F) def. (93) Dijana Stojic, 6-4, 6-1; 3. (75) Marrit Boonstra (F) def. (110) Anya Morgina, 6-4, 7-5; 4. (116) Anastasia Revzina (F) vs. Miljana Jocic (USC), 6-4, 3-2 suspended; 5. Joanna Mather (F) def. Adriana Pereira, 6-3, 6-3; 6. Caroline Hitimana (F) vs. Madeline Saari-Bystrom, 1-6, 6-3, 3-0 suspended. Order of finish: 5, 2, 3 (play at Nos. 1, 4 and 6 suspended when Florida got the cinching point).
Records: Florida 21-2, 11-0 SEC East; South Carolina 14-7, 7-4 SEC East.