Gators defeat Rebels in a close 4-3 victory at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex
GAINESVILLE, FL. – No.14 Florida closed out their weekend at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 victory over No. 30 Ole Miss. This match marks the seventh straight win for the Gators.
The first win of the day came from doubles pair, Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> and Bente Spee<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/bente-spee/16144> as they defeated Kelsey Mize and Lucie Devier in a 6-1 effort. Ole Miss responded with Anaelle Leclercq and Ludmila Kareisova posting a 6-3 win over Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> and Qavia Lopez<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/qavia-lopez/16283>. Malwina Rowinska<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/malwina-rowinska/16397> and Alicia Dudeney<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/alicia-dudeney/16142> clinched the doubles point for the Gators after a battle with Ava Hrastar and Briana Crowley. The battle came down to a tiebreaker with Dudeney and Rowinska coming out on top with a 7-6 victory giving Florida a 1-0 lead ahead of singles.
Florida saw a tough opponent in Ole Miss during singles action. No. 15 Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> secured the first point to extend the Gators lead 2-0 with a win over Ludmila Kareisova. Gailis won in straight sets posting a 6-1 victory in the first and shutting out Kareisova 6-0 in the second.
Ole Miss opened their score column after No. 109 Qavia Lopez<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/qavia-lopez/16283> dropped her match against Briana Crowley. Lopez fell 6-4, 6-4 but the Gators continued to lead 2-1.
The Rebels tied the match at 2-2 with Rachel Krzyzak defeating Sophie Williams<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/sophie-williams/16145> in straight sets. Krzyzak took the first set 7-6, and shutout Williams 6-0 in the second.
No. 84 Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> brought back the momentum for Florida as she defeated Ava Hrastar in a close effort. Briggs opened with a 6-3 victory in the first set and Hrastar fired back taking the second set 6-4 forcing a third. Briggs secured the point for the Gators winning the final set 6-1 and pushed Florida to a 3-2 lead over Ole Miss.
Ole Miss caught up with Florida once again with Emma Kette defeating Malwina Rowinska<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/malwina-rowinska/16397> in a three-set battle. Kette won the first set 6-2 and Rowinska returned the effort taking the second set 6-2. Kette tied the match 3-3 after defeating Rowinska in the third 6-4.
Alicia Dudeney<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/alicia-dudeney/16142> secured the Gators victory after a back and forth battle with Anaelle Leclercq. Dudeney dropped the first set 7-5, but came back and posted a 7-5 win to force a third set. Dudeney left no room for doubt as she shutout Leclercq 6-0 to snag the fourth and final point.
HEAD COACH ROLAND THORNQVIST ON THE OVERALL MATCH AND HOW THE TEAM HAS BEEN COMPETING:
“I honestly thought we played subpar today but we competed well, and obviously Liss was clinical at the end. The quality of our play probably wasn’t great and part of that was Ole Miss made it difficult for us with some playing styles that they had that we didn’t adjust to. I told them in the locker room that this is a match we would have lost in February, but we are now finding ways to win instead.”
HEAD COACH ROLAND THORNQVIST ON ALICIA DUDENEY CLINCHING THE MATCH FOR THE GATORS:
“When we have problems to solve now we are staying level-headed and Liss today was textbook. She had to make a couple adjustments and you could tell at the end she was the one willing to grind and willing to battle, and that’s how she got us the win.”
Singles: (order of finish 1, 4, 6, 2, 5, 3)
1. #15 Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> (UF) def. Ludmila Kareisova (OM) 6-1, 6-0
2. #84 Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> (UF) def. Ava Hrastar (OM) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
3. Alicia Dudeney<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/alicia-dudeney/16142> (UF) def. Anaelle Leclercq (OM) 5-7, 7-5, 6-0
4. Briana Crowley (OM) def. #109 Qavia Lopez<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/qavia-lopez/16283> (UF) 6-4, 6-4
5. Emma Kette (OM) def. Malwina Rowinska<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/malwina-rowinska/16397> (UF) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
6. Rachel Krzyzak (OM) def. Sophie Williams<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/sophie-williams/16145> (UF) 7-6 (8-6), 6-0
Doubles: (order of finish 3,2,1)
1. Malwina Rowinska<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/malwina-rowinska/16397>/Alicia Dudeney<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/alicia-dudeney/16142> (UF) def. #64 Ava Hrastar/Briana Crowley (OM) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Anaelle Leclercq/Ludmila Kareisova (OM) def. Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139>/Qavia Lopez<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/qavia-lopez/16283> (UF) 6-3
3. Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143>/Bente Spee<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/bente-spee/16144> (UF) def. Kelsey Mize/Lucie Devier (OM) 6-1
NEXT UP:
The Gators will travel to face No. 27 Vanderbilt on Friday at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center. The Commodores moved to a 6-3 conference record after posting a 4-0 win on Sunday against Missouri.
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