Emily de Oliveira rolled to a pair of victories at the Bedford Cup on Friday. (Photo by Andrew Hile/UAA Communications)
Pair of Gators Earn Two Wins at Bedford Cup
Friday, September 23, 2022 | Women's Tennis
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida women's tennis got off to a quick start at the Bedford Cup on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast, as Emma Shelton and Emily de Oliveira each picked up a pair of singles victories to lead the Gators on Friday.
In the Green draw in Fort Myers, Shelton advanced to the semifinals of the 32-athlete bracket. Opening her fall season, she began her match against Florida Atlantic's Amber McGinnis on a high note, taking set one, 6-1. Finding herself in a battle during the second frame, the senior outlasted McGinna, winning in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (6) to claim the match.
Moving on to the round of 16, Shelton was even more dominant in the afternoon. Squaring off with Cliona Walsh of South Florida, the Gainesville native made quick work of her opponent: 6-2, 6-3, to advance to Saturday's quarterfinal matchup against Annabelle Davis of North Florida.
Carly Briggs also managed to pick up a season-opening win in the Green side of singles action, taking down Anais Gabriel of Stetson in two sets. After claiming a 6-3 victory in the first frame, the senior made quick work of Gabriel in set two, claiming the 6-2 set and match win.
On the Blue side of single competition, de Oliveira impressed during her first outing of the fall campaign. Matched up with South Florida's Sabrina Ibarra in the round of 16, de Oliveira came out firing on all cylinders, taking down her opponent: 6-2, 6-0 for a spot in the quarterfinals.
It was much of the same for de Oliveira in the quarterfinals, where she was once again dominant in the Blue bracket. Facing Lola Glantz of Florida Gulf Coast for a spot in the semifinal round, the sophomore earned a 6-3, 6-3, sweep and will matchup Kiana Mokhtari of South Florida on Saturday.
Freshman Sophie Williams earned her first victory as a Gator on Friday afternoon, taking down USF's Sierra Berry in the consolation draw of the Green bracket. After falling in the first set, 7-5, Williams rebounded to take a tightly contested second set, 7-5. The final frame was all Williams, as she pressed Berry for a 10-3 tiebreaker third set and match victory.
Main Draw Singles Day One
Carly Briggs def. Anais Gabriel (STET): 6-3, 6-2
Emily de Oliveira def. Sabrina Ibarra (USF): 6-2, 6-0
Emma Shelton def. Amber McGinnis (FAU): 6-1, 7-6 (6)
Alba Retorillo (FGCU) def. Sophie Williams: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Emma Shelton def. Cliona Walsh (USF): 6-2, 6-3
Emma Bardet (FGCU) def. Carly Briggs: 7-5, 2-6, 10-6
Emily de Oliveira def. Lola Glantz (FGCU): 6-3, 6-3
Consolation Singles Day One
Sophie Williams def. Sierra Berry (USF): 5-7, 7-5, 10-3
Doubles Day One
Margriet Timmermans/Ireland Simme (USF) def. Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams: 6-2
Quotables
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
"It's always great to see where we are in the beginning of the fall. After weeks of just internal matches we finally get to play someone else. I was really pleased with Emily's performances today. She was perhaps the cleanest of the group, which is very encouraging since she's been one of our top performers in practice the last two weeks. Tomorrow will be interesting with more tough matches and I'm really looking forward to seeing our top-seeded doubles team in action."
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In the Green draw in Fort Myers, Shelton advanced to the semifinals of the 32-athlete bracket. Opening her fall season, she began her match against Florida Atlantic's Amber McGinnis on a high note, taking set one, 6-1. Finding herself in a battle during the second frame, the senior outlasted McGinna, winning in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (6) to claim the match.
Moving on to the round of 16, Shelton was even more dominant in the afternoon. Squaring off with Cliona Walsh of South Florida, the Gainesville native made quick work of her opponent: 6-2, 6-3, to advance to Saturday's quarterfinal matchup against Annabelle Davis of North Florida.
Carly Briggs also managed to pick up a season-opening win in the Green side of singles action, taking down Anais Gabriel of Stetson in two sets. After claiming a 6-3 victory in the first frame, the senior made quick work of Gabriel in set two, claiming the 6-2 set and match win.
On the Blue side of single competition, de Oliveira impressed during her first outing of the fall campaign. Matched up with South Florida's Sabrina Ibarra in the round of 16, de Oliveira came out firing on all cylinders, taking down her opponent: 6-2, 6-0 for a spot in the quarterfinals.
It was much of the same for de Oliveira in the quarterfinals, where she was once again dominant in the Blue bracket. Facing Lola Glantz of Florida Gulf Coast for a spot in the semifinal round, the sophomore earned a 6-3, 6-3, sweep and will matchup Kiana Mokhtari of South Florida on Saturday.
Freshman Sophie Williams earned her first victory as a Gator on Friday afternoon, taking down USF's Sierra Berry in the consolation draw of the Green bracket. After falling in the first set, 7-5, Williams rebounded to take a tightly contested second set, 7-5. The final frame was all Williams, as she pressed Berry for a 10-3 tiebreaker third set and match victory.
Main Draw Singles Day One
Carly Briggs def. Anais Gabriel (STET): 6-3, 6-2
Emily de Oliveira def. Sabrina Ibarra (USF): 6-2, 6-0
Emma Shelton def. Amber McGinnis (FAU): 6-1, 7-6 (6)
Alba Retorillo (FGCU) def. Sophie Williams: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Emma Shelton def. Cliona Walsh (USF): 6-2, 6-3
Emma Bardet (FGCU) def. Carly Briggs: 7-5, 2-6, 10-6
Emily de Oliveira def. Lola Glantz (FGCU): 6-3, 6-3
Consolation Singles Day One
Sophie Williams def. Sierra Berry (USF): 5-7, 7-5, 10-3
Doubles Day One
Margriet Timmermans/Ireland Simme (USF) def. Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams: 6-2
Quotables
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
"It's always great to see where we are in the beginning of the fall. After weeks of just internal matches we finally get to play someone else. I was really pleased with Emily's performances today. She was perhaps the cleanest of the group, which is very encouraging since she's been one of our top performers in practice the last two weeks. Tomorrow will be interesting with more tough matches and I'm really looking forward to seeing our top-seeded doubles team in action."
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Players Mentioned
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NCAA: Coach Thornqvist & Rachel Gailis 5-4-24
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Roland Thornqvist Postmatch NCAA Second Round 5-6-23
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Roland Thornqvist Postmatch NCAA First Round 5-5-23
Friday, May 05
