Florida Gators
#74 LSU - SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
Women's Tennis Advances to SEC Tournament Semifinal, Defeats LSU 4-0
Friday, April 23, 2010 | Women's Tennis
Top-seeded Florida defeated eighth-seeded LSU, 4-0, on Friday and advanced to the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Women's Tennis Tournament held at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia.
The Gators (22-2) made quick work of the Tigers (10-15) on a very hot day to continue their perfect play in SEC Quarterfinal matches and advancing to the semifinals all 23 times the event has been contested.
“We played well today. We got off the courts in two hours and ten minutes which is effective timing when it's hot,” UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said.
Prior to the match, Florida accepted the SEC Overall Championship trophy, having marched through the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record. The regular-season title was the Gators' 24th in the 31 years the league has sponsored women's tennis.
The Gators then lived up to their top-seed in the 12-team event, by handily winning the doubles point with four-ranked Marrit Boonstra (The Netherlands) and Allie Will (Boca Raton, Fla.) defeating No. 82 Keri Frankenberger and Whitney Wolf, 8-1, followed by Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) and Joanna Mather (Duluth, Ga.) downing Hannah Robinson and Kaitlin Burns, 8-4, on court No. 2 to clinch the initial team point of the dual match.
Florida then turned its attention to the singles court, where Boonstra was impressive in her 6-2, 6-1 victory against Nicole Kantor at the No. 3 position.
“I was happy to see (Marrit) Boonstra play at No. 3 singles,” Thornqvist said. “She played well, was focused and moved her feet well. Whenever we play well at No. 3, it's hard to beat us.”
The Gators fulfilled their coach's statement, as Will defeated Kaitlin Burns, 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 2 spot and sophomore newcomer Claire Bartlett (Chattanooga, Tenn.) took down Hannah Robinson, 6-1, 6-0 to seal the 4-0 team win.
Florida had won the first set on the other three singles matches and held early leads in the second when play was abandoned once the dual match outcome had been decided.
The three Gators who finished their respective singles matches all extended impressive individual streaks while helping Florida win its 15th straight dual match. Will captured her 21st consecutive win, tied for the ninth-longest in program history. She improved to 21-0 in dual match singles play and 41-3 overall. Boonstra earned her 12th straight win, matching the current win streak of teammate Lauren Embree, who plays the No. 1 singles position and held a 7-5, 2-1 lead in Friday's match. Bartlett tallied her 10th consecutive singles victory, providing the clinching win.
Florida's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be fifth-seeded and 16th-ranked South Carolina (17-7), which shocked fourth-seeded and 15th-ranked Georgia, 4-1, in its quarterfinal match. The semifinal match is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET.
SEC Women's Tennis Tournament Quarterfinal
#74/8-Seed LSU vs. #3/1-seed Florida
Dan Magill Tennis Complex * Athens, Ga.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Final Score: #3 Florida 4, #74 LSU 0
Doubles
1. #4 Marrit Boonstra/Allie Will (UF) def. #82 Keri Frankenberger/Whitney Wolf (LSU) 8-1
2. #69 Lauren Embree/Joanna Mather (UF) def. Hannah Robinson/Kaitlin Burns (LSU) 8-4*
3. Caroline Hitimana/Anastasia Revzina (UF) led Nicole Kantor/Ebie Wilson (LSU) 6-3, unfinished
Singles
1. #11 Lauren Embree (UF) led Whitney Wolf (LSU) 7-5, 2-1, unfinished
2. #7 Allie Will (UF) def. Kaitlin Burns (LSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. #75 Marrit Boonstra (UF) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU) 6-2, 6-1
4. #119 Joanna Mather (UF) led Keri Frankenberger (LSU) 6-3, 3-3, unfinished
5. Caroline Hitimana (UF) led Ebie Wilson (LSU) 6-3, 2-0, unfinished
6. Claire Bartlett (UF) def. Hannah Robinson (LSU) 6-1, 6-0*
Match Notes:
LSU 10-15; National ranking #74
Florida 22-2; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,2,6)
-UF-
