Kuhlman, Austin and Keegan Headed to the Semifinals of NCAA Action

Saturday, May 23

Waco, TX

1:00 PM

Florida Gators

NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships (QF)

Kuhlman, Austin and Keegan Headed to the Semifinals of NCAA Action

Sunday, May 24, 2015 | Women's Tennis

WACO, Texas – Freshman Josie Kuhlman booked her ticket to the NCAA Singles semifinals and freshman Brooke Austin and sophomore Kourtney Keegan will represent the Florida Gators in the NCAA Doubles semifinals on Sunday at the Hurd Tennis Center of Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Kuhlman defeated Miami's Sinead Lohan, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals.

“Obviously, she's a great player,” Kuhlman said of Lohan. “Going out, we were having really long points. I think first set, I was able to stay aggressive, stepping up in the court, and pretty much being able to dictate play. Second set, she started swinging out and she was playing really well. Luckily, I fought hard and stayed with it to get that set back, because there were a few games in there that were crucial to winning the set."

Since Florida's quarterfinal loss to eventual NCAA Champion Vanderbilt in the Team Championship, Kuhlman has not dropped a set in her journey towards a NCAA Singles title. The Florida rookie will take on the No. 2-ranked player in the country in the semifinals, Stanford's Carol Zhao.

Austin and Keegan are on to the semifinals after a three-set victory over Stanford's No. 2 Zhao and Taylor Davidson.

"There was a lot of momentum shifts,” Austin said of the match. “I think whoever poached first ended up winning, and I think we did that very well at the end. That was why we won."

"It was kind of weird because we came out really well,” Keegan added, “and they were not playing well in the first set. We had played them before at the beginning of the year and it was pretty close. It is pretty difficult coming back and being mentally in the match. We just had to stay in there and play well and hope for the best."

SINGLES

Freshman No. 13 Josie Kuhlman (9-16) (Ponte Vedra, Fla.)

Quarterfinals: def. No. 37 Sinead Lohan, Miami, 6-3, 6-4

Semifinals Opponent: No. 2 Carol Zhao [2], Stanford

Match Time: 1 p.m.

Kuhlman's Career Singles Record: 37-10

DOUBLES

No. 6 Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan (5-8)

Quarterfinals: def. No. 2 Taylor Davidson/Carol Zhao (2), Stanford, 6-0, 1-6, 6-4

Semifinals Opponent: No. 5 Klara Fabikova/Zsofi Susanyi [5-8], California

Match Time: After singles

Austin/Keegan Career Doubles Record: 25-3