Friday, May 12
Chapel Hill, N.C.
5 P.M.
Florida Gators
1
at
4
North Carolina
The Gators reached the Sweet 16 and faced No. 1 seed North Carolina in back-to-back seasons.
No. 16 Florida Pushes No. 1 North Carolina, But Falls in NCAA Super Regional
Friday, May 12, 2023 | Women's Tennis
The Gators started out with a stellar doubles point, but couldn’t maintain momentum in singles.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 16 Florida women's tennis team gave No. 1 North Carolina all they could handle in the Super Regional match, but fell short in singles and dropped 4-1 at the Chewning Tennis Center on Friday night to complete their season.
For the 18th time this season, Florida (18-8, 9-4 SEC) jumped out to the 1-0 lead after doubles, but did so in comeback fashion against North Carolina (32-1, 13-0 ACC). All three Gators' pairs came firing out the gates, as each pair was the first to break serve. Leading the charge was No. 67 Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis at the two position after opening with a 3-1 lead via two converted breaks against Elizabeth Scotty/Carson Tanguilig. With a one break advantage, Briggs/Gailis received some pushback from the Tar Heels and couldn't hold serve at 4-2, but immediately broke back. With a chance to hold serve at 5-3 and secure their court, Briggs/Gailis did just that, earning their 11th victory as a tandem by a score of 6-3.
As Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams dropped 6-3 on court three, No. 21 Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee found themselves in a jam on court one down 5-3 to Fiona Crawley/Abbey Forbes. After the two sides exchanged breaks for four straight games, Crawley/Forbes broke the Gators' serve for the 5-3 advantage, but Dudeney/Spee broke right back and kept their hopes alive. The deciding match was sent to a tiebreak and Dudeney/Spee showcased why they're one of the best tandems in the country, outlasting UNC 7-4 in the breaker. With the victory, UF downed UNC in doubles and withheld the Tar Heels from earning the point for just the fourth time all season.
Transitioning in to singles against a UNC lineup featuring six ranked-players, Florida knew the fight wouldn't stop. The Tar Heels came springing back and snatched up first sets on all six courts, despite tight opening frames by Dudeney on three along with Gailis on four.
North Carolina quickly leveled the match at the top singles position in a top-20 ranked-affair between No. 17 Sara Dahlstrom and No. 8 Reese Brantmeier. Down 3-2 to start, Dahlstrom couldn't fend off Brantemeier and dropped the opening frame 6-3. Brantmeier would then grab the following set 6-2 to tie the match 1-1.
On court five, No. 100 Reilly Tran came out strong versus Emily De Oliveira with a 4-1 lead, which was too much to comeback from and lost the first set 6-3. De Oliveira played the second frame much tighter and was leveled at 3-3 with Tran, but fell in the following final three games 6-3.
The lead for UNC was padded to 3-1 with Spee being defeated by No. 38 Anika Yarlagadda 6-3, 6-2 on court six. Like last season's Super Regional, No. 1 Crawley clinched the victory for the Tar Heels by taking down No. 45 Briggs, 6-2, 6-3 at the second spot.
The 2023 season comes to an end as the Gators reached at-least the Round of 16 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015-16.
For Briggs, Dahlstrom, Dudeney and Spee, their focus will turn to the NCAA Championships' doubles and singles competition on May 22 in Orlando at the USTA National Campus. Briggs and Dahlstrom will compete in the singles bracket, while the pair of Dudeney and Spee will represent Florida in the doubles bracket.
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the overall match…
"This team has as shown a lot to be honest. This team has brought back the Florida mentality of work ethic and "I want to get better at all times" kind of mentality. The blue collared and working hard and come in every morning kind of attitude. So, you know, it's really tough to put an exclamation point on the season now because I really feel strongly about this group. It's just an unbelievable group of women who bonded and worked together and got better every month. I think you obviously saw that in doubles today. I thought we played exceptionally well under pressure at the end. Then, you have to credit North Carolina. They showed tremendous class in singles. The atmosphere here was amazing. That's what it's supposed to be hosting a Super Regional. I thought we fought, but we were obviously a little light in singles and I think that's more to the credit of the North Carolina players than anything we did wrong. I'm just really proud. I'm sad the year is over, but really proud of this team. They represented Florida every day, the right way. That's really all you can ask for if you're a Gators fan. You got to applaud these women because they they've done it the right way. Represented the right way."
On the bright future of the team and high expectations of next season…
"Yeah, this team has now set the bar of how next year's team and the team years after that need to work, need to come with the same attitude of helpfulness, and work ethic and be the first one in, last one to leave kind of mentality. Because that's what Florida tennis is supposed to be like. That's what makes this team so special. I told them when we were about to leave the courts. Here after it's all done. I'll never forget this team, because they have now done and shown what it's supposed to look like and so hopefully next year's team can reap the benefits of the blueprints that this team put together."
On the Gators' preparation for the NCAA Championships' doubles and singles competition…
"Well, obviously it's going take a couple of days here for the dust to settle. But they're going to find that the flame in a couple of days again. We'll go to work and we'll make it fun in practice and try to come up with some new stuff just to keep it going a little bit. We've got the talent to ruffle feathers in Orlando, for sure. So, we'll take it one day at a time. But there's no doubt that the appetite is still there in these players to go as far as we can, once the individuals starts."
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 21 Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee (UF) def. Fiona Crawley/Abbey Forbes (UNC), 7-6 (4)
2. No. 67 Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis (UF) def. Elizabeth Scotty/Carson Tanguilig (UNC), 6-3
3. Reese Brantmeier/Reilly Tran (UNC) def. Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams (UF), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 8 Reese Brantmeier (UNC) def. No. 17 Sara Dahlstrom (UF), 6-3, 6-1
2. No. 1 Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. No. 45 Carly Briggs (UF), 6-2, 6-3
3. No. 99 Alicia Dudeney (UF) vs No. 28 Carson Tanguilig (UNC), 6-7 (4), 0-3, unfinished
4. Rachel Gailis (UF) vs No. 107 Elizabeth Scotty (UNC), 4-6, 3-4, unfinished
5. No. 100 Reilly Tran (UNC) def. Emily De Oliveira (UF), 6-3, 6-3
6. No. 38 Anika Yarlagadda (UNC) def. Bente Spee (UF), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 6, 2
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For the 18th time this season, Florida (18-8, 9-4 SEC) jumped out to the 1-0 lead after doubles, but did so in comeback fashion against North Carolina (32-1, 13-0 ACC). All three Gators' pairs came firing out the gates, as each pair was the first to break serve. Leading the charge was No. 67 Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis at the two position after opening with a 3-1 lead via two converted breaks against Elizabeth Scotty/Carson Tanguilig. With a one break advantage, Briggs/Gailis received some pushback from the Tar Heels and couldn't hold serve at 4-2, but immediately broke back. With a chance to hold serve at 5-3 and secure their court, Briggs/Gailis did just that, earning their 11th victory as a tandem by a score of 6-3.
As Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams dropped 6-3 on court three, No. 21 Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee found themselves in a jam on court one down 5-3 to Fiona Crawley/Abbey Forbes. After the two sides exchanged breaks for four straight games, Crawley/Forbes broke the Gators' serve for the 5-3 advantage, but Dudeney/Spee broke right back and kept their hopes alive. The deciding match was sent to a tiebreak and Dudeney/Spee showcased why they're one of the best tandems in the country, outlasting UNC 7-4 in the breaker. With the victory, UF downed UNC in doubles and withheld the Tar Heels from earning the point for just the fourth time all season.
Transitioning in to singles against a UNC lineup featuring six ranked-players, Florida knew the fight wouldn't stop. The Tar Heels came springing back and snatched up first sets on all six courts, despite tight opening frames by Dudeney on three along with Gailis on four.
North Carolina quickly leveled the match at the top singles position in a top-20 ranked-affair between No. 17 Sara Dahlstrom and No. 8 Reese Brantmeier. Down 3-2 to start, Dahlstrom couldn't fend off Brantemeier and dropped the opening frame 6-3. Brantmeier would then grab the following set 6-2 to tie the match 1-1.
On court five, No. 100 Reilly Tran came out strong versus Emily De Oliveira with a 4-1 lead, which was too much to comeback from and lost the first set 6-3. De Oliveira played the second frame much tighter and was leveled at 3-3 with Tran, but fell in the following final three games 6-3.
The lead for UNC was padded to 3-1 with Spee being defeated by No. 38 Anika Yarlagadda 6-3, 6-2 on court six. Like last season's Super Regional, No. 1 Crawley clinched the victory for the Tar Heels by taking down No. 45 Briggs, 6-2, 6-3 at the second spot.
The 2023 season comes to an end as the Gators reached at-least the Round of 16 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015-16.
For Briggs, Dahlstrom, Dudeney and Spee, their focus will turn to the NCAA Championships' doubles and singles competition on May 22 in Orlando at the USTA National Campus. Briggs and Dahlstrom will compete in the singles bracket, while the pair of Dudeney and Spee will represent Florida in the doubles bracket.
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the overall match…
"This team has as shown a lot to be honest. This team has brought back the Florida mentality of work ethic and "I want to get better at all times" kind of mentality. The blue collared and working hard and come in every morning kind of attitude. So, you know, it's really tough to put an exclamation point on the season now because I really feel strongly about this group. It's just an unbelievable group of women who bonded and worked together and got better every month. I think you obviously saw that in doubles today. I thought we played exceptionally well under pressure at the end. Then, you have to credit North Carolina. They showed tremendous class in singles. The atmosphere here was amazing. That's what it's supposed to be hosting a Super Regional. I thought we fought, but we were obviously a little light in singles and I think that's more to the credit of the North Carolina players than anything we did wrong. I'm just really proud. I'm sad the year is over, but really proud of this team. They represented Florida every day, the right way. That's really all you can ask for if you're a Gators fan. You got to applaud these women because they they've done it the right way. Represented the right way."
On the bright future of the team and high expectations of next season…
"Yeah, this team has now set the bar of how next year's team and the team years after that need to work, need to come with the same attitude of helpfulness, and work ethic and be the first one in, last one to leave kind of mentality. Because that's what Florida tennis is supposed to be like. That's what makes this team so special. I told them when we were about to leave the courts. Here after it's all done. I'll never forget this team, because they have now done and shown what it's supposed to look like and so hopefully next year's team can reap the benefits of the blueprints that this team put together."
On the Gators' preparation for the NCAA Championships' doubles and singles competition…
"Well, obviously it's going take a couple of days here for the dust to settle. But they're going to find that the flame in a couple of days again. We'll go to work and we'll make it fun in practice and try to come up with some new stuff just to keep it going a little bit. We've got the talent to ruffle feathers in Orlando, for sure. So, we'll take it one day at a time. But there's no doubt that the appetite is still there in these players to go as far as we can, once the individuals starts."
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 21 Alicia Dudeney/Bente Spee (UF) def. Fiona Crawley/Abbey Forbes (UNC), 7-6 (4)
2. No. 67 Carly Briggs/Rachel Gailis (UF) def. Elizabeth Scotty/Carson Tanguilig (UNC), 6-3
3. Reese Brantmeier/Reilly Tran (UNC) def. Emma Shelton/Sophie Williams (UF), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 8 Reese Brantmeier (UNC) def. No. 17 Sara Dahlstrom (UF), 6-3, 6-1
2. No. 1 Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. No. 45 Carly Briggs (UF), 6-2, 6-3
3. No. 99 Alicia Dudeney (UF) vs No. 28 Carson Tanguilig (UNC), 6-7 (4), 0-3, unfinished
4. Rachel Gailis (UF) vs No. 107 Elizabeth Scotty (UNC), 4-6, 3-4, unfinished
5. No. 100 Reilly Tran (UNC) def. Emily De Oliveira (UF), 6-3, 6-3
6. No. 38 Anika Yarlagadda (UNC) def. Bente Spee (UF), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 6, 2
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
31
Reese Brantmeier / 0 (8/-) [NC]
66
#2 Singles Match
12
23
Fiona Crawley / 0 (1/-) [NC]
66
#3 Singles Match
123
600
Carson Tanguilig / 0 (28/-) [NC]
73UF
#4 Singles Match
123
430
Elizabeth Scotty / 0 (107/-) [NC]
64UF
#5 Singles Match
12
33
Reilly Tran / 0 (100/-) [NC]
66
#6 Singles Match
12
32
Anika Yarlagadda / 0 (38/-) [NC]
66
Order of Finish:
1,5,6,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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