The Florida women’s tennis team rebounded from its 4-3 loss at Mississippi Friday with a 6-1 Southeastern Conference victory over Mississippi State Sunday in Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
The Gators needed only 49 minutes to capture the doubles point and then won three singles matches in quick fashion to secure their 61st consecutive home victory. Florida is now 144-1 all-time at home against SEC competition.
“I thought we did a great job coming back from the loss, especially at No. 1 doubles, where we let a lead slip away but kept our composure and competed very well,” Florida head coach Roland Thornqvist said. “While we might not have been at the top of our game at each spot in the lineup today, I really liked how we competed and fought at every position.”
Junior Marrit Boontra won her 15th straight singles match, downing Olesya Tsigvintseva, 6-1, 6-0, to give Florida a 2-0 lead after the Gators had won the doubles point.
“Marrit has done a great job this year of honing her skills and she can handle the pace better,” Thornqvist said. “She’s 5-foot-10 and can move like a cat, and she’s learned to use that to her advantage and push the pace.”
Boonstra and Joanna Mather won their eighth straight match together by blanking Natalia Mayuk and Olesya Tsigvintseva, 8-0. Florida’s Jessica Alexander and Anastasia Revzina then beat Elna de Villiers and Martina Banikova, 8-5, in the No. 1 doubles match.
Leading 2-0, Florida (10-6, 4-2 SEC) then got singles wins from Alexander and Mather to clinch the victory. Revzina and Barbara Pinterova earned the final two singles points by winning their matches with the help of 10-point super-tiebreakers.
The Gators are on the road this weekend, visiting Louisiana State Friday and then traveling to Arkansas Sunday.
FLORIDA 6, MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, Gainesville, Fla.
DOUBLES
1. Jessica Alexander/Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. Elna de villiers/Martina Banikova, 8-5.
2. Marrit Boonstra/Joanna Mather (UF) def. Natalia Mayuk/Olesya Tsigvintseva, 8-0.
3. Daniela Juskova/Radka Ferancova (MS) def. Brooke Allen/Barbara Pinterova, 8-5.
Florida earns doubles point, 2-1.
SINGLES
1. Marrit Boonstra (UF) def. Olesya Tsigvintseva, 6-1, 6-0.
2. Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. Martina Banikova, 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6).
3. Joanna Mather (UF) def. Radka Ferancova, 6-4, 6-0.
4. Jessica Alexander (UF) def. Elna de Villilers, 6-4, 6-2.
5. Barbara Pinterova (UF) def. Natalia Mayuk, 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7).
6. Daniela Juskova (MS) def. Brooke Allen, 6-1, 6-2.
Order of finish: Doubles – 2, 1, 3; Singles – 1, 6, 4, 3, 2, 5.
Records: Florida 10-6, 4-2 SEC; Mississippi State 9-5, 0-5 SEC.