Gators get back in the win column in Tuscaloosa
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After dropping their past two matches, the Florida women’s tennis team bounced back with a 4-1 win over the No. 61 Alabama Crimson Tide Friday evening.
The Gators (14-6, 8-4 SEC) are winners of six of their past eight, and recorded their sixth road win of the season in the victory over the Crimson Tide (12-10, 5-7 SEC).
For the 13th time this season, Florida won the doubles point, improving to 12-1 when winning the early tone setter.
After initially trailing early at No. 2 doubles, Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis, the 74th ranked duo in the country, stormed back to take court two 6-3, giving the Gators a pivotal early win on the doubles courts.
The 49th ranked tandem of Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee secured the early lead for the Gators, winning 7-5 at No. 1 doubles over Alabama’s top team and 32nd ranked Anne Marie Hiser/Loudmilla Bencheikh.
On court three, Emma Shelton and Sophie Williams were locked in a 5-5 match when the point was clinched.
Florida tallied five first-set wins to start off singles play, only dropping on court five in a tiebreaker scenario.
Sara Dahlstrom, ranked No. 37 in the latest ITA rankings, made quick work at No. 1 singles against No. 114 Loudmilla Benecheikh, winning 6-1, 6-1. The Stockholm, Sweden earned her 11th dual singles victory this season, and her fifth at the top singles spot.
Gailis followed with a straight-set victory of her own, winning 6-3, 6-2 to knock off Anna Parkhomenko of Alabama. The freshman now has won six-straight singles matches down the final stretch of the regular season.
After a Crimson Tide win at No. 5 singles, No. 96 Dudeney clinched her fifth match this season with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Petra Sedlackova at No. 3 singles. The Hove, United Kingdom native paces the team with 13 dual singles wins.
Florida wraps up the regular season on Sunday, April 16 at No. 15 Auburn. First serve is set for 1 p.m. ET.
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the match…
“First I want to congratulate Coach (Jenny) Mainz on an amazing career. She’s class personified and have been a formidable opponent for over 2 decades. The SEC will miss her leadership but she’s earned to sail away on her own terms!
We were fantastic in doubles. Brave, lucid and took advantage of opportunities because of that. Having Sara finish so quickly made the rest of us ride the momentum longer and I was very happy with our play at end of sets.”
Doubles Results
1. #49 Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee (UF) def. #32 Anne Marie Hiser/Loudmilla Bencheikh (UA) 7-5
2. Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis (UF) def. Petra Sedlackova/Anna Parkhomenko (UA) 6-3
3. Kasia Pitak/Ola Pitak (UA) vs. Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams (UF) 5-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 2,1
Singles Results
1. #37 Sara Dahlstrom (UF) def. #114 Loudmilla Bencheikh (UA) 6-1, 6-1
2. Ola Pitak (UA) vs. #38 Carly Briggs (UF) 6-7 (8-10), 1-3, unfinished
3. #96 Alicia Dudeney (UF) def. Petra Sedlackova (UA) 6-0, 7-5
4. Rachel Gailis (UF) def. Anna Parkhomenko (UA) 6-3, 6-2
5. Anne Marie Hiser (UA) def. Emily De Oliveira (UF) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1
6. Klara Milicevic (UA) vs. Bente Spee (UF) 5-7, 1-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1,4,5,3
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