Florida women meet Tennessee for SEC tourney title

ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 3 Florida Gators women’s tennis team needed just 100 minutes Saturday morning to move into the SEC Tournament Championship against Tennessee.

Florida (23-2) scored a 4-0 victory over No. 16 South Carolina. No. 13 Tennessee (16-7) then followed with a 4-3 victory over No. 17 Mississippi in a match that took more than 4 hours and 30 minutes. The matches were moved from the outdoor courts of the Dan Magill Tennis Complex to the courts at the Lindsey Hopkins Facility because of inclement weather, and it was agreed that singles matches would be played first.

“I think today we were physically better and mentally better than we were yesterday,” Florida coach Roland Thornqvist said. “I’m really proud of the way we played. Playing back-to-back games has really helped us out, and the courts are very similar indoors to those outdoors, so that isn’t going to effect us much. If we happen to have the good fortune of being back here in a month (for the NCAA Championships), we will be better prepared if we have to move inside because of rain.”

Florida jumped to a quick lead when freshman Lauren Embree, No. 11 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles rankings, scored a 6-4, 6-1 victory over No. 48 Ana Marija Zubori.

The Gators went up 2-0 when No. 75 Marrit Boonstra scored a 6-2, 6-0 victory over No. 125 Anya Morgina at No. 3 singles.  Anastasia Revzina (No. 119) followed with a 6-4, 6-0 victory at No. 4 singles over Miljana Jocic for a 3-0 Florida lead. The Gators clinched the victory when freshman Allie Will, ranked No. 7, scored a 6-4, 6-0 victory over No. 108 Dijana Stojic.

“It felt really good and my team was behind me the entire time,” Will said. “Indoors isn’t my favorite (venue), so I had to mentally prepare myself. I knew I was going to have to come out and play tough.”

In the other semifinal, that took 4 hours, 38 minutes to complete, No. 13 Tennessee posted a 4-3 victory over No. 17 Mississippi on the indoor courts. Again, the match began with the six singles matches, which the teams split 3-3. The teams then split the first two doubles matches before Tennessee’s team of Natalie Pluskota and Jennifer Meredith scored an 8-3 victory over Mississippi’s Laura van de Stroet and Abby Guthrie.

Florida beat Tennessee earlier this month in Knoxville, 6-1. The Gators are now 13-0 in dual matches against SEC competition, including 11-0 during the regular season.

SEC WOMEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS

At Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Courts, Athens, Ga.

No. 3 FLORIDA 4, No. 16 SOUTH CAROLINA 0

SINGLES

1. (11) Lauren Embree (F) def. (48) Ana Marija Zubori, 6-4, 6-1; 2. (7) Allie Will (F) def. (108) Dijana Stojic, 6-4, 6-0; 3. (75) Marrit Boonstra (F) def. (125) Anya Morgina, 6-2, 6-0; 4. (119) Anastasia Revzina (F) def. Miljana Jocic, 6-4, 6-0; 5. Joanna Mather (F) vs. Adriana Pereira (SC), 2-1, DNF; 6. Madeline Saari-Bystrom (SC) vs. Carolina Hitimana (F), did not start. Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 2.

DOUBLES

1. (4) Marrit Boonstra-Allie Will (F) vs. (18) Ana Marija Zubori-Dijana Stojic (SC), did not start; 2. (69) Lauren Embree-Joanna Mather (F) vs. Miljana Jocic-Anya Morgina (SC), did not start; 3. Caroline-Hitimana-Anastasia Revzina (F) vs. Adriana Pereira-Madeline Saari-Bystrom (SC), did not start.

Records: Florida 23-2, South Carolina 16-8.

No. 13 TENNESSEE 4, No. 17 MISSISSIPPI 3

SINGLES

1. (62) Kristi Boxx (M) def. (9) Caitlin Whoriskey, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; 2. (58) Maria Sorbello (T) def. (110) Karen Nijssen, 6-2, 6-0; 3. Rosalia Alda (T) def. Connor Vogel, 6-3, 7-6; 4. Abby Guthrie (M) def. Zsofia Zubor, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2; 5. Jennifer Meredith (T) def. Laura van de Stroet, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6; 6. Gabby Rangel (M) def. Katie Lee, 6-0, 6-1. Order of finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6.

DOUBLES

1. (12) Karen Nijssen-Kristi Boxx (M) def. (11) Caitlin Whoriskey-Maria Sorbello, 8-3; 2. (24) Zsofia Zubor-Rosalia Alda (T) def. Connor Vogel-Gabby Rangel, 8-2; 3. Natalie Pluskota-Jennifer Meredith (T) def. Laura van de Stroet-Abby Guthrie, 8-3. Order of finish: 1, 2, 3. Tennessee wins doubles point, 2-1, and match.

Records: Tennessee 16-7, Mississippi 15-5.

SUNDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP

(1) Florida (23-2) vs. (3) Tennessee (16-7), 12 p.m.