Danilina and Kuhlman Win NCAA Singles Openers

Wednesday, May 23

Winston-Salem, NC

All Day

Florida Gators

NCAA Singles Championships, Rnd 64

Josie Kuhlman won a gritty three-setter in the opening round for her 116th career win.

Danilina and Kuhlman Win NCAA Singles Openers

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 | Women's Tennis

Postmatch Interview: Anna Danilina Postmatch Interview: Josie Kuhlman NCAA Singles Draw NCAA Doubles Draw

Both Gators advance to the round of 32 at the NCAA Singles Championships.

By: Kathy Cafazzo

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Florida's Anna Danilina and Josie Kuhlman won their respective first round matches at the NCAA Singles Championships played at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

Both Gators advance to the round of 32 of the season-ending national event that continues Thursday.

The NCAA Doubles Championships also gets underway on Thursday, when Danilina teams with freshman Victoria Emma. The Gator tandem is scheduled to play Oklahoma State's 14th-ranked Vladica Babic and Sofia Blanco at 1:30 p.m. The pairs did not meet during the February 7 dual match in Stillwater, where the Gator duo defeated Babic and Megan McCray.

Danilina was one of the first matches of the day and her opening set was a battle against California's 50th-ranked Olivia Hauger. The Gator senior won a hard-fought first frame and then cruised in the second for a 7-5, 6-0 victory for her 95th career singles win.

Danilina will play Texas' 30th-ranked Anna Turati at 8 a.m. Danilina and Turati did not square off during the April 1 dual match.

Kuhlman drew South Alabama's 110th-ranked Alexandria Stiteler in her first round that was an intense three-setter, with the Gator senior prevailing, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2. Kuhlman showed her grit throughout her match as she battled from deficits, primarily in the opening frame. She was serving down 5-2 before mounting a comeback that included staving off five set points over the final five games to force a tiebreak, where she also trailed early, 2-1, and faced two serves from Stiteler before winning it.

Kuhlman continues action at 11 a.m. against Stanford's 43rd-ranked Emily Arbuthnott. They did not play each other during the dual match season.

NCAA Division I Women's Singles Championships – First Round
Wake Forest Tennis Complex * Winston-Salem, N.C.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018

UF Results Only
#18 Anna Danilina (9-16), UF def. #50 Olivia Hauger, California 7-5, 6-0
#52 Josie Kuhlman, UF def. #110 Alexandria Stiteler, South Alabama 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2

Thursday's Action
SINGLES
#18 Anna Danilina (9-16), UF vs. #30 Anna Turati, Texas – 8 a.m.
#52 Josie Kuhlman, UF vs. #43 Emily Arbuthnott, Stanford – 11 a.m.

DOUBLES
#17 Anna Danilina/Victoria Emma, UF vs. #14 Vladica Babic/Sofia Blanco, Oklahoma State – 1:30 p.m.

Complete Draws (PDF)

Scoring for the Individual Championships

All matches shall be the best-of-three sets.
No-ad scoring and a seven-point tiebreaker (first to seven points, must win by two points) at six-games-all will be used for all matches.
In doubles, a 10-point match tiebreaker will be played in lieu of a third set.

Net Notes – Anna Danilina

This is the second time Danilina will be competing in the NCAA Singles Championships.
Last year she advanced to the quarterfinals where she lost to Gator teammate and eventual finalist Belinda Woolcock.
Danilina enters the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships with a 28-10 overall singles record with a 95-27 career mark.

Net Notes – Josie Kuhlman

This is the third time Kuhlman is competing in the NCAA Singles Championships.
She advanced to the semifinals her freshman season and the round of 32 last year.
Entering the NCAA Second Round, Kuhlman has compiled a 23-7 singles record this year and is 116-38 in her collegiate singles career.

Net Notes – Anna Danilina & Victoria Emma

Danilina makes her second appearance in the NCAA Doubles Championships, having also competed last year.
Emma, a freshman, is making her debut in the national season-ending individual event.
Danilina and Emma played the No. 1 position for the Gators during the dual match season.
The Gator pair compiled a 13-7 overall record this season, all of which came in team play.

The 4-1-1

Who: 64 singles players and 32 doubles teams
What: 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Singles & Doubles Championships
When: May 23-28
Where: Wake Forest Tennis Complex in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Host School: Wake Forest University
Official Website (Scoring & Video): http://www.wakeforestsports.com/ncaatennis/