Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> and Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> saw adversity in the round of 64 at the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships. Both fell in their initial matchups and closed out the 2024 season in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
STILLWATER, Okla. – Florida’s No. 8 Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> and No. 56 Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> made their 2024 NCAA Singles Championship debuts Monday afternoon at the Greenwood Tennis Center. The Gators were met with strong competition with both Gailis and Briggs falling to their opponents.
Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> was first to hit the courts with a 2 p.m. start against No. 116 Sofia Johnson from Old Dominion. Briggs won the toss and elected to serve first, resulting in an immediate 1-0 lead. That would mark Briggs’s only lead of set one as she was quickly tested by Johnson. Briggs found herself trailing at 4-2 in the first set before winning back-to-back deuce points to even the score at 4-4. Johnson responded and ultimately took the initial set 6-4.
Aware of the stakes, Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> opened the second set winning three games straight, claiming a 3-0 advantage. Briggs only gave up one game to Johnson in the second set at 3-1 and cruised through the following three games closing out at 6-1. Briggs dominated in the second set but was unable to pull through in the third, eventually falling 6-0.
Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> also found herself being put to the test in Stillwater, taking on No. 37 Julia Garcia Ruiz of Oklahoma. Gailis fell in the first four games of the match to put her at a 4-0 deficit before getting on the board at 4-1. Garcia Ruiz then had two set points at 5-1 but Gailis stayed alive winning the next three games to put herself back in the equation at 5-4. Garcia Ruiz took the following game to close out the first set 6-4.
Garcia Ruiz continued to set the pace over Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> in the second set with a 2-0 lead before Gailis got on the board at 2-1. After claiming the third game of the second set, Gailis was unable to tally another. Garcia Ruiz took the final set 6-1, defeating Gailis 6-4, 6-1.
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/coaches/roland-thornqvist/1704> Says:
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/coaches/roland-thornqvist/1704> on today’s outcome:
“Not a great day for us. It seemed we got off to a slow start and we were unable to set our sonar straight all day.”
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/coaches/roland-thornqvist/1704> on the future of the program:
“With time this summer, we will have the proper perspective on this year and be excited about the new talent coming in to push this project even further towards trophies.”
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/coaches/roland-thornqvist/1704> on Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> and the role she has held:
“We will miss Carly’s commitment and competitiveness and it will be fun to see who will take over that warrior role come fall.”
NCAA Singles Championships | Round of 64 Results:
No. 116 Sofia Johnson (Old Dominion) def No. 56 Carly Briggs<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/carly-briggs/16139> (UF), 6-4, 1-6, 6-0
No. 37 Julia Garcia Ruiz (Oklahoma) def No. 8 Rachel Gailis<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-tennis/roster/rachel-gailis/16143> (UF), 6-4, 6-1
Gators History in the NCAA Singles Tournament:
* It has been 28 years since Florida has won an individual NCAA Singles title
* The Gators hold four NCAA Singles Champions
* Shaun Stafford in 1988
* Lisa Raymond 1992 and 1993
* Jill Craybas 1996
* Florida’s overall singles record in the NCAA first round stands at 76-52
* The Gators have reached the NCAA singles finals a combined 10 times in program history
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