Top-Ranked Gators Advance Past No. 13 Michigan at National Team Indoors

Friday, February 10

New Haven, CT

3:30 PM ET

Florida Gators

Michigan

Brooke Austin provided the clinching singles victory for the Gators.

Top-Ranked Gators Advance Past No. 13 Michigan at National Team Indoors

Friday, February 10, 2017 | Women's Tennis

Highlights - thanks to ITA Tennis Postmatch Interviews (FloTennis)National Team Indoor_Draw

Florida regrouped after dropping the doubles point and earned straight-set wins on four singles courts.

By: Kathy Cafazzo

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – For the first time during this young season, top-ranked Florida dropped the doubles point and found itself in the unusual place of having to rally for the win. The Gators did just that on Friday when they won four singles matches in straight sets to earn the 4-1 victory against No. 13 Michigan in the first round of the 2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships hosted by Yale University.

Florida advances to the quarterfinals where it will play Texas Tech on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Lady Raiders upset No. 9 Vanderbilt, 4-2, in their opening-round match.

The Gators and Wolverines split doubles courts two and three, leaving the match at the No. 1 position to determine the initial team point of the dual match. Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan found themselves in a tight battle against third-ranked Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian and held serve to force a tiebreak at 6-all. UM jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the breaker, but the Gators won the next two points and evened things. Michigan, however, regained the advantage on the next serve and wouldn't trail again, taking the tiebreak and the match, 7-6 (4) to give the Wolverines the early 1-0 lead on the team scoreboard.

Florida quickly regrouped and won the first set on courts 3, 4, 5 and 6, with Ingrid Neel, Josie Kuhlman, Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan, respectively. Those four maintained their leads and each earned a straight set victory to capture the team win.

The Gators improved to 4-0 all-time against Michigan.

Postmatch with UF Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:
"We learned a little bit of a lesson in doubles. We probably played on our heels too much and that's something we're going to have to address for tomorrow.

"Boy, we answered the bell after we lost the doubles point. We played great poise and maturity in singles. Credit to Michigan because they really took it to us in doubles. We were pretty determined for that not to happen in singles.

"It's a really good, competitive team with great athletes that Michigan fields and I was really happy that we could win four singles matches in straight sets to advance.

"We're going to rest up and get ready for tomorrow."

Florida at the National Indoor

This is Florida's 17th all-time appearance in the national event, but just its second in the last six years.
The Gators have won the championship six times, with the last title coming in 1998-99. Since that year, Florida has competed in the event just five times.
The last time the Gators were at the NTIC was in 2014-15 and the squad reached the semifinals.

Following the Action

For updated draws, results, live scoring and video, daily video highlights and photo galleries, head to the Division I Women's National Indoors event page.
On social media, be sure to follow @ITA_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram and use the hashtag #ITAIndoors to join the conversation.
FloTennis will be on site providing live streaming coverage of all four days of competition. FloTennis is a subscription-based service with monthly and annual rate options. To sign up and view the live stream, click here.

Quick Overview

The ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship is in its 30th year of existence.
Fifteen teams qualified for the event by winning their respective 2017 ITA Kick-Off Weekend four-team regional, while Yale received an automatic bid as the host site.
The teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament over a four-day span to crown a national indoor champion.
Each team is guaranteed three matches at the event.

What's Next for the Gators

Who: Florida vs. Texas Tech (4-1)
Where: Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, Conn.
When: Saturday, February 11 * 3:30 p.m.
What: Quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Of Note: this is the first meeting between the two programs

2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships – First Round
Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, CT
Friday, February 10, 2017

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 13 Michigan

Final Score: Florida d. Michigan, 4-1

Singles
1. Belinda Woolcock (40), UF vs. Kate Fahey (26), UM 2-6, 4-4 DNF
2. Anna Danilina (23), UF vs. Brienne Minor (27), UM 4-6, 6-2, DNF
3. Ingrid Neel (45), UF d. Alex Najarian (64), UM 6-2, 6-2
4. Josie Kuhlman (19), UF d. Chiara Lommer, UM 6-3, 6-1
5. Brooke Austin, UF d. Mira Ruder-Hook, UM 7-5, 6-3*
6. Kourtney Keegan (30), UF d. Valeria Patiuk, UM 6-1, 6-1

Doubles
1. K. Fahey/A. Najarian (3), UM d. Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (18), UF 7-6 (4)*
2. B. Minor/M. Ruder-Hook (40), UM d. Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (22), UF 6-3
3. Belinda Woolcock/Josie Kuhlman (17), UF d. C. Lommer/V. Patiuk, UM 6-3

Order of Finish: D – 2, 3, 1*; S – 6, 3, 4, 5*
Team Ranking: Florida – 1; Michigan – 13
Updated Records: Florida 4-0; Michigan

Complete Team Results – First Round