Friday, March 18
Columbia, MO
3 PM
Florida Gators
6
at
1
Missouri
No. 16 Gators Secure Road Victory at Missouri
Friday, March 18, 2022 | Women's Tennis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Florida women's tennis moved back into the positive column in Southeastern Conference play after defeating Missouri, 6-1, on a rainy Friday afternoon in Columbia.
The Gators (11-4, 3-2 SEC) began the match at an advantage, as the Tigers (6-11, 1-3 SEC) didn't field a team at the three-doubles position. Needing just one victory to claim the doubles point, McCartney Kessler and Marlee Zein, paired together once again after earning All-American honors last season, swept Bronte Murgett and Emelie Schwarte, 6-0.
With the doubles point secured, competition came to a stop on court two, but the match ended in favor of Sara Dahlstrom and Emma Shelton, 4-1.
In similar fashion to doubles competition, the Gators had a leg-up early on the Missouri, claiming court six due to a forfeit from Missouri. The Tigers, trailing 2-0, would pick up their lone victory of the day on court three, as Ellie Wright defeated Shelton: 6-2, 6-2.
The little bit of momentum wouldn't last long for the Tigers, however, as Kessler quickly regained control at the top singles slot, overtaking Murgett: 6-2, 6-2. Her doubles partner, Zein, managed to clinch the match for Florida shortly after, holding off Ventura 6-4 in the opening set before breezing to a 6-1 set and match victory in the second frame.
In the final two matches of the evening, Carly Briggs made swift work of Schwarte at four singles: 6-0, 6-2, before Dahlstrom earned a perfect 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Gabriela Martinez, completing the 6-1 victory for the Orange & Blue.
Florida will be back in action on Sunday, Mar. 20, in Fayetteville, Ark., for a 2 p.m. ET matchup with No. 36 Arkansas.
SINGLES
McCartney Kessler def. Bronte Murgett (MU): 6-2, 6-2
Marlee Zein def. Elys Ventura (MU): 6-4, 6-1
Ellie Wright (MU) def. Emma Shelton: 6-2, 6-2
Carly Briggs def. Emelie Schwarte (MU): 6-0, 6-2
Sara Dahlstrom def. Gabriela Martinez (MU): 6-0, 6-0
DOUBLES
McCartney Kessler/Marlee Zein def. Bronte Murgett/Emelie Schwarte (MU): 6-0
Sara Dahlstrom/Emma Shelton vs. Gabriela Martinez/Ellie Wright (MU): 4-1, unf.
Carly Briggs/Sydney Berlin: Winner by forfeit
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
"In a day where our hearts and minds could easily have been somewhere else, we played perhaps the best doubles point of the year and we were excellent in singles. We had some of our best performances of the year on the singles courts as well and I'm so proud of this team and how professional we were able to be today. I hope that we can continue in the same manner on Sunday afternoon against a good Arkansas team."
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The Gators (11-4, 3-2 SEC) began the match at an advantage, as the Tigers (6-11, 1-3 SEC) didn't field a team at the three-doubles position. Needing just one victory to claim the doubles point, McCartney Kessler and Marlee Zein, paired together once again after earning All-American honors last season, swept Bronte Murgett and Emelie Schwarte, 6-0.
With the doubles point secured, competition came to a stop on court two, but the match ended in favor of Sara Dahlstrom and Emma Shelton, 4-1.
In similar fashion to doubles competition, the Gators had a leg-up early on the Missouri, claiming court six due to a forfeit from Missouri. The Tigers, trailing 2-0, would pick up their lone victory of the day on court three, as Ellie Wright defeated Shelton: 6-2, 6-2.
The little bit of momentum wouldn't last long for the Tigers, however, as Kessler quickly regained control at the top singles slot, overtaking Murgett: 6-2, 6-2. Her doubles partner, Zein, managed to clinch the match for Florida shortly after, holding off Ventura 6-4 in the opening set before breezing to a 6-1 set and match victory in the second frame.
In the final two matches of the evening, Carly Briggs made swift work of Schwarte at four singles: 6-0, 6-2, before Dahlstrom earned a perfect 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Gabriela Martinez, completing the 6-1 victory for the Orange & Blue.
Florida will be back in action on Sunday, Mar. 20, in Fayetteville, Ark., for a 2 p.m. ET matchup with No. 36 Arkansas.
SINGLES
McCartney Kessler def. Bronte Murgett (MU): 6-2, 6-2
Marlee Zein def. Elys Ventura (MU): 6-4, 6-1
Ellie Wright (MU) def. Emma Shelton: 6-2, 6-2
Carly Briggs def. Emelie Schwarte (MU): 6-0, 6-2
Sara Dahlstrom def. Gabriela Martinez (MU): 6-0, 6-0
DOUBLES
McCartney Kessler/Marlee Zein def. Bronte Murgett/Emelie Schwarte (MU): 6-0
Sara Dahlstrom/Emma Shelton vs. Gabriela Martinez/Ellie Wright (MU): 4-1, unf.
Carly Briggs/Sydney Berlin: Winner by forfeit
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
"In a day where our hearts and minds could easily have been somewhere else, we played perhaps the best doubles point of the year and we were excellent in singles. We had some of our best performances of the year on the singles courts as well and I'm so proud of this team and how professional we were able to be today. I hope that we can continue in the same manner on Sunday afternoon against a good Arkansas team."
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
66
Bronte Murgett / 0 [MIZ]
22
#2 Singles Match
12
66
Elys Ventura / 0 [MIZ]
41
#3 Singles Match
12
22
Ellie Wright / 0 [MIZ]
66
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Emelie Schwarte / 0 [MIZ]
02
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Gabriela Martinez / 0 [MIZ]
01
#6 Singles Match
1
WF
No player / 0 [MIZ]
0
Order of Finish:
6,3,1,2,4,5
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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