This is the rematch they wanted. This is the NCAA Championship match the Florida Gators women's tennis team has aimed for all season.
The Gators face host Stanford tonight at 7 on ESPNU for the national title, the second consecutive season the schools have met in the final. A year ago, they were tied 3-3 when it all came down to Stanford's Mallory Burdette beating Florida's Marrit Boonstra in three sets at No. 3 singles.
This year's matchup is expected to be as closely contested. Stanford (28-0) is ranked No. 1 and the only undefeated team in Division I. Florida is 30-1 and No. 2, its only loss coming to the Cardinal in February at the National Team Indoors Championship.
Prior to leaving for California, the Gators understood the mission ahead. If they wanted to win the fifth national title in school history and first since 2003, they knew they would most likely have to beat host Stanford.
That's nearly impossible when you consider Stanford is at home, where it hasn't lost since Feb. 27, 1999. The Cardinal has won 184 consecutive home matches, including 37 straight in the NCAA Tournament.
“They are really, really good at every position,'' Florida sophomore Lauren Embree said. “They are really tough to beat. They are viewed as the best.''
A victory by the Gators tonight would instantly change that view. Florida is 2-6 all-time against Stanford in NCAA Championship matches.
“The last two championships matches we played – Indoors and at NCAAs -- we lost to Stanford. So there's kind of a rivalry there,'' junior Joanna Mather said. “I feel like we've gotten even more confident as a team since [losing in February].''
Gators head coach Roland Thornqvist didn't want to look too far ahead when the tournament started. He knew that the Gators had a tough road ahead, as did Stanford.
Florida defeated S.C. State, South Carolina, Clemson, Miami and UCLA to reach the final, winning 20 of 22 matches; Stanford beat Illinois-Chicago, Pepperdine, Northwestern, Georgia and Baylor, posting a 20-4 match record.
But Thornqvist did offer this on a potential Florida-Stanford matchup.
“That would be a lot of fun,'' he said. “We've just got to try to do what we do best: play good doubles, run and defend the way we're supposed to, and hopefully get lucky along the way.''
Let the fun begin in about seven hours.
