Florida Gators
#22 Ole Miss
Top-Seeded Gators Move on to Semifinals with 4-0 Rout of Ole Miss
Friday, April 17, 2015 | Women's Tennis
COLUMBIA, S.C. – In their 2015 SEC Tournament debut, the No. 3-ranked No.1-seeded Florida Gators eased past the No. 9 seed, No. 22 Ole Miss, 4-0, and advanced to the semifinal round of the conference tournament on Friday morning at the Carolina Tennis Center.
In the regular season meeting between the Gators and the Rebels, all three doubles matches went into a tiebreaker, with Florida eventually winning the point. In today's match, UF showed vast improvement in their doubles performance since the March 20 meeting. No. 12-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan defeated Ole Miss' top tandem, Julia Jones and Natalie Suk, 8-2. Spencer Liang and Peggy Porter improved to 3-0 versus SEC duos with an 8-3 doubles-clinching win at No. 3.
No. 5-ranked rookie Austin avenged her regular season loss to Ole Miss' No. 11 Julia Jones and took down the Rebels' No. 1 singles player in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, to put the Gators up, 2-0. Soon after, fellow freshman No. 10 Josie Kuhlman downed Mai El Kamash, 6-1, 6-, to increase the UF lead. Sophomore No. 45-ranked Keegan sealed the deal with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ole Miss' Erin Stephens.
The Gators meet No. 9-ranked No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in the semifinals on Saturday, April 18 at noon.
| 2015 University of Florida Women's Tennis | ||||||
| Carolina Tennis Center | ||||||
| Columbia, S.C. | ||||||
| Friday, April 17, 2015 | ||||||
| Doubles | FLORIDA | vs | OLE MISS | Winner |
| Score/match length |
| Brooke Austin (12) | Julia Jones | |||||
| No. 1 - | Kourtney Keegan (12) | Natalie Suk | UF | 8-2 | ||
| Josie Kuhlman | Mai El Kamash (56) | |||||
| No. 2 - | Belinda Woolcock | Erin Stephens (56) | DNF | 6-4, DNF | ||
| Spencer Liang | Marija Milutinovic | |||||
| No. 3 - | Peggy Porter | Iris Verboven | UF* | 8-3 | ||
| Singles | FLORIDA | vs | OLE MISS | Winner |
| Score/match length |
| No. 1 - | Brooke Austin (5) | Julia Jones (11) | UF | 6-2, 6-2 | ||
| No. 2 - | Josie Kuhlman (10) | Mai El Kamash | UF | 6-1, 6-2 | ||
| No. 3 - | Brianna Morgan (27) | Natalie Suk | DNF | DNF | ||
| No. 4 - | Kourtney Keegan (45) | Erin Stephens | UF* | 6-4, 6-4 | ||
| No. 5 - | Belinda Woolcock (53) | Iris Verboven | DNF | DNF | ||
| No. 6 - | Peggy Porter | Zalina Khairudinova | DNF | DNF | ||
| FINAL SCORE: | Florida – 4 | Ole Miss – 0 | * Clinched victory | |||
| Records: | Florida 21-2, 12-1 | Ole Miss 15-10, 5-8 | ||||
| Order of Finish: | Doubles: 1, 3* | Singles: 1, 2, 4* | ||||
| Attendance: NA | ||||||
Quotes from the Match
Thornqvist's Thoughts – Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On meeting Vanderbilt for the second time this season after losing first meeting…
It looks like Vanderbilt's playing really well on this side. We're going to have to be motivated. We got beat last time so if I have to get them [pumped] up for this match then we're having problems. If anything we need to be a little more matter of fact, make a couple of adjustments, we'll have two different matchups since the last time we played them, but they really took it to us last time and I feel like we didn't answer the bell. Obviously tomorrow we have to be tougher mentally. Whether we win or lose the doubles point we have to come out with a little more passion and determination than we did last time.
Freshman Brooke Austin
On competing in her first SEC Tournament match…
It's definitely a lot of fun. I really like competing with the team. It's exciting because all the SEC teams are here competing against each other.
On defeating Julia Jones after losing the regular season meeting…
It took a lot mentally. I at least knew what to expect this time so I came a little bit more prepared and I'm just glad I got the “W.” I tried to play aggressive like I normally do but I tried not to get too carried away with things. I think I played well.
VIDEO: Head coach Roland Thornqvist Post-Match Interview
VIDEO: Freshman Brooke Austin Post-Match Interview
SEC Tournament Format:
The SEC Tournament format consists of a single-elimination tournament of six singles and three doubles. Once a team clinches the match, all play stops immediately for matches in progress. There will be no consolation matches. Singles and doubles champions shall not be named. Complete information about the tournament, including links for live scoring, can be found online through South Carolina's website, www.gamecocksonline.com.
Florida vs. Ole Miss:
Florida improved to 43-3 all-time versus Ole Miss with today's win.
Florida at the SEC Tournament:
The Gators are now 70-8 all-time in SEC Tournament matches, losing six times to Georgia, once to Ole Miss and once to Texas A&M. UF improved to 27-1 in quarterfinals matches. They are 24-2 in the semifinal round. The Gators have won 19 out of a possible 27 SEC Tournament titles. They have advanced to the final round of the tournament 24 times in the 27-year history of the event.
Last Time:
Florida suffered its only SEC loss of the season to Vanderbilt, 4-1, in Nashville on April 5.
Florida vs. SEC Teams:
Florida holds a 440-30 all-time record against Southeastern Conference opponents including postseason matchups, and a 372-20 mark in regular-season matches (12-1 this season).
Going the Distance in Doubles:
The Gators are 16-0 in dual matches when winning the doubles point.
Freshman Phenom:
Brooke Austin's win versus Ole Miss boosted her SEC singles record to 11-2. She is now holds the team lead in SEC singles victories. Austin, the first freshman to play No. 1 singles since Gator Great Lauren Embree, has posted a singles point for UF in seven of its last eight wins and has defeated nine ranked players in dual match action.
WATCH:
Coverage of the 2015 Women's SEC Tournament semifinals will be broadcast online on Watch ESPN: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2569167/sec-women-tennis-championship
#3 Florida (21-2, 12-1) vs. #9 Vanderbilt (17-6, 11-2)
Saturday, April 18 at 12 p.m.
Carolina Tennis Center, Columbia, S.C.
Live Stats: http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/w-tennis/spec-rel/2015-sec-tourn-match-11.html
Live Stream: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2569167/sec-women-tennis-championship
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