Florida Gators

STILLWATER, Ok. – Florida's long road trip has not started the way it would have preferred. The Gators lost for the second consecutive time, tonight dropping a 4-3 decision at No. 18 Oklahoma State at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
 
Florida opened its road show Saturday falling to Florida State in Orlando before Wednesday evening's setback to the Cowgirls, who won for the first time in 11 meetings against the Gators (2-2).
 
How it Happened
The Gators lost the opening doubles match, but won on courts one and two to secure the doubles point.
 
Florida freshman Katie Kubicz then captured the singles victory on court six, 6-0, 6-4, and the Gators held a 2-0 lead in the dual match.
 
Oklahoma State came right back with a straight-set win on court three.
 
The remaining four matches all went to a third set.
 
Senior Anna Danilina was the first to finish, as she rallied after losing her first set to take the 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win on court one and give Florida a 3-1 lead.
 
Peggy Porter regrouped after dropping her opening set and forced a third, where she fell 6-0, 3-6, 6-2, and the Cowgirls inched closer, 3-2
 
Freshman McCartney Kessler won a tough first set but No. 91-ranked Marina Guinart answered and forced a third. Kessler took a quick 2-0 lead, but Guinart didn't falter and evened the match at 2-all and later 3-all. The two traded games and Guinart was able to close it out, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, and the dual match was tied at 3-all
 
The last match on court was at the No. 2 spot, where senior Josie Kuhlman had raced out to a 5-1 lead in the third against Megan McCray. With the vocal crowd behind her and the luck of a net cord on a big point, rallied and provided the amazing comeback, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, to secure the dual match for Oklahoma State.
 
 
Quotes from Florida Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:
On the match:
"Absolute heartbreaker. Great tennis match, though. Although in the short term, losing this match tonight is absolutely painful for us, I saw a lot of positives. I saw a completely different match then we did last Saturday.
 
"One thing I talked about with this team is that we're going to be patient with our progress. If we can continue to progress like this, then we're going to be fine down the road. I always claimed that we played well in practice and so far this season have yet to see all the brilliance in competition. Today, we bridged that gap a lot more after watching today's match. Although it's painful to lose, in the long run this match is going to be really good for us. If we can play tennis like this all the time, then we're going to get our fair share of wins down the road."
 
On the final match on court:
"Josie is heartbroken. At 5-1, Megan McCray didn't feel any pressure and started ripping them and they went in. At that point, the crowd started going crazy, the momentum started to shift. It was hard for Josie to claim the momentum back. She really didn't have any opportunities to finish. I think 30-all was all she got to. McCray played fantastic tennis to get out of that jam. It's hard for Josie to accept. Sometimes you've just got to tip your cap and shake your opponent's hand and say, 'too good.' It was the other kid who played fantastic tennis and not Josie lowering her standard. That makes it a little more palatable."
 
 
Match 4
Florida at Oklahoma State
Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Okla.
Wednesday, February 07, 2018
 
Final: #18 Oklahoma State 4, #3 Florida 3
 
Singles competition
1. #7 Anna Danilina (UF) def. #37 Vladica Babic (OKST) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Megan McCray (OKST) def. #50 Josie Kuhlman (UF) 5-7, 6-2, 7-5*
3. #121 Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. #96 Victoria Emma (UF) 6-2, 6-4
4. #91 Marina Guinart (OKST) def. McCartney Kessler (UF) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
5. #122 Sofia Blanco (OKST) def. Peggy Porter (UF) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
6. Katie Kubicz (UF) def. Shir Hornung (OKST) 6-0, 6-4
 
 Doubles competition
1. Anna Danilina/Victoria Emma (UF) def. Vladica Babic/Megan McCray (OKST) 6-4
2. McCartney Kessler/Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. Katarina Stresnakova/Marina Guinart (OKST) 6-3*
3. Sofia Blanco/Shir Hornung (OKST) def. Katie Kubicz/Peggy Porter (UF) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Florida 2-2; National ranking #3
Oklahoma State 6-1; National ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,3,1,5,4,2)
A-315 … Match played indoors … OSU's first win in the 11-match series history
 
 
What's Next for the Gators
Florida travels directly to Madison, Wisconsin, where the team will compete in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships that begins Friday.
 
Florida's Long Road Trip:

• Feb. 3 vs. Florida State (Orlando, Fla.)
• Feb. 7 at No. 18 Oklahoma State (Stillwater, Ok.)
• Feb. 9-12: National Indoor Championships (Madison, Wisconsin) – as many as four dual matches
• Feb. 23 at St. Mary's (Moraga, Calif.)
• Feb. 24 at No. 1 Stanford (Stanford, Calif.)
• March 1 at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)
• March 3 at Mississippi State (Starkville, Miss.)

 
Gator Pronunciations for this release

• Dave BALOGH (Associate Head Coach): BAY-log
• Anna Danilina: ON-nah don-uh-LEE-nah
• Josie Kuhlman: COOL-mun

 
 
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