FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 15 Florida women’s tennis team will have a chance Saturday to prove its 4-3 victory over then No. 1 Georgia earlier this season was no fluke.
The Gators (14-8) made it into the semifinals for the 22nd time in 22 attempts with a 4-2 victory Friday over Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Tennis Tournament at the Billingsley Tennis Center at the University of Arkansas.
Next up is a semifinal match with No. 3 Georgia (21-2) Saturday at 11 a.m. EDT. Florida’s victory over Georgia came earlier this season in Linder Stadium and is part of a 76-match unbeaten streak at home.
Friday against Vanderbilt, the Gators won the doubles point and then used the top of its singles lineup to provide the victory.
“We played well in doubles,” Florida coach Roland Thornqvist said. “That was our key today because our players felt like they could win. We have an uphill climb (Saturday against Georgia), but we are ready to tackle the challenge.”
Vanderbilt won the No. 3 doubles match as Courtney and Keilly Ulery combined for an 8-1 victory over Florida’s Brooke Allen and Lauren Wolken.
But the Gators’ other two doubles teams picked their teammates up. First Jessica Alexander and Anastasia Revzina scored an 8-5 victory over Vanderbilt’s Catherine Newman and Chelsea Preeg. Then the No. 1 team of Marrit Boonstra and Joanna Mather scored an 8-4 victory over Vanderbilt’s Jackie Wu and Heather Steinbaur to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.
After Vanderbilt evened the match at No. 6 singles, No. 7 Boonstra stormed back and posted an impressive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Catherine Newman at No. 1 singles. The Gator junior improved to 19-2 in singles play at the No. 1 spot.
Mather then made it 3-1 Florida with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Keilly Ulery at No. 3 singles. It was the 10th straight victory for Mather. Then after Vanderbilt closed the margin to 3-2, Alexander won a first-set tiebreaker on her way to a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Chelsea Preeg at No. 4 singles that clinched the match.
SEC WOMEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT
At Billingsley Tennis Center, Fayetteville, Ark.
FRIDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
(4) FLORIDA 4, (5) VANDERBILT 2
DOUBLES
1. (43) Marrit Boonstra/Joanna Mather (UF) def. (38) Jackie Wu/Heather Steinbaur, 8-4.
2. (29) Jessica Alexander/Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. Catherine Newman/Chelsea Preeg, 8-5.
3. Courtney Ulery/Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Brooke Allen/Lauren Wolken, 8-1.
Florida wins doubles point, 2-1.
SINGLES
1. (7) Marrit Boonstra (UF) def. (61) Catherine Newman, 6-1, 6-3.
2. (47) Anastasia Revzina (UF) led (57) Jackie Wu, 6-4, 4-3, DNF.
3. Joanna Mather (UF) def. Keilly Ulery, 6-3, 6-3.
4. Jessica Alexander (UF) def. Chelsea Preeg, 7-5, 6-4.
5. Heather Steinbaur (VU) def. Barbara Pintervo, 6-4, 6-1.
6. Courtney Ulery (VU) def. Brooke Allen, 6-1, 6-2.
(1) GEORGIA 4, (8) ALABAMA 1
DOUBLES
1. Chelsey Gullickson/Nadja Gilchrist (UG) vs. Courtney McLane/Taylor Lindsey, DNF.
2. Yvette Hyndman/Monika Dancevic (UG) def. Paulina Bigos/Shelley Godwin, 8-1.
3. Naoko Ueshima/Cameron Ellis (UG) def. Tiffany Welcher/Alice Tunaru, 8-1.
Georgia wins doubles point, 2-0.
SINGLES
1. Chelsea Gullickson (UG) def. Tiffany Welcher, 6-0, 6-0.
2. Courtney McLane (UA) def. Yvette Hyndman, 6-2, 7-5.
3. Nadja Gilchrist (UG) vs. Paulino Bigos, DNF.
4. Monika Dancevic (UG) def. Meritt Emery, 6-1, 6-0.
5. Naoko Ueshima (UG) def. Taylor Lindsey, 6-3, 6-4.
6. Cameron Ellis (UG) vs. Shelley Godwin, DNF.
(7) MISSISSIPPI 4, (2) ARKANSAS 3
DOUBLES
1. Kristi Boxx/Karen Nijssen (UM) def. Ela Kaluder/Aurelija Miseviciute, 8-4.
2. Nanar Airapetian/Kate Lukomskaya (UA) vs. Abigail Guthrie/Gabriela Rangela, DNF.
3. Laura van de Stroet/Mimi Renaudin (UM) default win due to illness
Mississippi wins doubles point, 2-0.
SINGLES
1. Aurelija Miseviciute (UA) vs Kristi Boxx, 6-3, 6-4.
2. Karen Nijssen (UM) def. Ela Kaluder, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
3. Nanar Airapetian (UA) def. Laura van de Stroet, 6-1, 6-3.
4. Emily Carbone (UA) def. Abigail Guthrie, 6-3, 6-3.
5. Garbiela Rangel (UM) def. Kate Lukomskaya, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
6. Mimi Renaudin (UM) won by default due to illness.
(3) TENNESSEE 4, (6) SOUTH CAROLINA 2
DOUBLES
1. (20) Caitlin Whoriskey/Natalie Pluskota (UT) def. (37) Natasa Vuckovic/Ana Zubori, 8-1.
2. Mijana Jocic/Gira Schofield (SC) def. Rosalia Alda/Zsofia Zubor, 8-2.
3. Maria Sorbello/Jennifer Meredith (UT) def. Dijana Stojic/Suzanna Mansour, 8-5.
Tennessee wins doubles point, 2-1.
SINGLES
1. (45) Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) def. (46) Gira Schofield, 7-6, 7-5.
2. (43) Ana Zubori (SC) def. (117) Natalie Pluskota, 7-6, 6-3.
3. Dijana Stojic (SC) def. Samantha Orlin, 6-4, 6-3.
4. Jennifer Meredith (UT) def. Natasa Vuckovic, 6-2, 6-3.
5. Rosalia Alda (UT) vs. Miljana Jocic, 6-4, 3-6, 2-1, DNF.
6. Maria Sorbello (UT) def. Suzanna Mansour, 6-3, 6-1.
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
11 a.m.: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Florida
2 p.m.: No. 7 Mississippi vs. No. 3 Tennessee
SUNDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1 p.m.: Semifinal winners