Florida Women's Tennis

[Deleted]

4.23.2016

2016 SEC Champion Gators vs. poodles for the 2016 SEC tourney title on Sunday at 12 PM EDT in Baton Rouge:

BATON ROUGE, La. - The No. 3 University of Florida women's tennis team defeated the No. 12 Auburn Tigers, 4-2 on Saturday afternoon in the semifinal match of the 2016 SEC Tennis Tournament. Florida has now won 14 straight dual matches and will play the Georgia Bulldogs for the SEC Tournament Championship tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET.

After dropping the doubles point for only the third time this season, the Gators came storming back in singles play at the LSU Tennis Complex. Sophomore Anna Danilina was the first off the court with a dominating, 6-1, 6-1 win over Paula DeMan on court five. Fellow-sophomore Josie Kuhlman was next with her 6-1, 6-3 win on court four.

A hard fought match on court one between Brooke Austin and No. 20-ranked Andie Dikosavljevic went the Gators' way, 6-2, 7-5 to push the lead to 3-2. On court
six, Spencer Liang came back from down 4-love in the first set to win 7-5. There was no contest in the second set as the Potomac, Md. native blanked Turner, 6-0 to give the Orange and Blue the victory and a trip to the SEC Tournament final.

Florida will compete against the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET for the program's 20th SEC Tournament title. UF blanked Georgia on April 15 in Athens to win the outright 2016 SEC Regular Season Championship.

Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the resiliency of singles play the Gators showed…
"I thought we played really well in singles. We were resilient, but we were also together. I love the fact how we communicate between courts and that helps, especially when you are down. It helps bring back the momentum. We were off to a fast start on a couple of courts and that fed off itself through our communication.

Spencer made good decisions. She was very smart. Those are two players who don't necessarily put the ball away, so you have to win with your head. She is great at that. She knows when to come in, sneak in, punch off a volley, and I thought over time she showed her strengths down there. Brooke was fantastic also. That is a great player at one so I was really happy to take four matches in straight sets."

Final Results
#3 Florida 4, #12 Auburn 2
Doubles-Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*1.#11 Michaud/Burgmans (AU) def. #3 Austin/Keegan (UF) 7-5
2.Dikosavljevic/Griffin (AU) def. #68 Danilina/Morgan (UF) 7-5
3.Kuhlman/Liang (UF) def. DeMan/Turner (AU) 6-1
Singles-Order of Finish: 5, 4, 1, 3, 6*1.#7 Brooke Austin (UF) def. #20 Andie Dikosavljevic 6-2, 7-5
2.Brianna Morgan (UF) vs. #31 Alizee Michaud 7-6(4), 2-1, susp.
3.#87 Pleun Burgman def. #36 Kourtney Keegan (UF) 6-4, 6-2
4.Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. Alannah Griffin 6-1, 6-3
5.#65 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Paula DeMan 6-1, 6-1
6.Spencer Liang (UF) def. Caroline Turner 7-5, 6-0

[Deleted]

Gators vs. poodles X2 - the Gator men are competing for the SEC tourney too:

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The No. 11 University of Florida tennis team earned a 4-0 win over the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday afternoon at the Carolina Tennis Complex in Columbia, S.C. With the win, the Gators advance to the SEC Tournament Championship tomorrow and will face the Georgia Bulldogs at Noon ET.

It took nearly three hours of play, but the Gators were able to get it done in both doubles and singles play. After securing the doubles point early on, the Gators hit a bumpy stretch where they were down in 5-of-6 singles matches before locking in to come back and secure three straight points and the 4-0 win.

In doubles action, freshman Alfredo Perez and sophomore Chase Perez-Blanco took the first match on a 6-3 win over Texas A&M's Max Lunkin and Arthur Rinderknech. Seniors Diego Hidalgo and Gordon Watson sealed the 1-0 lead with a 6-4 win over the Aggies' Aleksandre Bakishi and Jackson Withrow.

The Gators are now 14-4 when clinching the doubles point.

In singles play, Perez got it done early with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Texas A&M's Shane Vinsant to put the Orange and Blue in front, 2-0. Junior Elliot Orkin added on with a 7-6, 6-1 triumph over the Texas A&M's Jordi Arconada for the 3-0 lead. Chase Perez-Blanco had the match-clinching win on court four in three sets. After dropping the first, 6-4, the Miami native came back and won the second and third sets with a pair of 6-2 victories.

Up Next:
The Gators return to the court tomorrow at Noon ET in the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship when they square away with the Georgia Bulldogs at Noon ET.

Watch Live
Fans interested in watching live coverage of the Tournament Championship, can do so by streaming live action from the SECN on laptops and tablets.

Head Coach Bryan Shelton
On the win over Texas A&M:
"I'm really proud of our guys. I thought they showed up and came ready to play. We're really excited about the opportunity to compete in the Championship tomorrow.

"Credit to Texas A&M, they've got a great program and a great team. They beat us in the regular season and I think our guys were looking forward to the opportunity to play them again knowing we'd be pushed to the limit -- and we responded with that. I'm really proud of the way we fought back in both doubles and singles play. It says a lot about our resilience, toughness, and physical fitness.

On the opportunity to play Georgia tomorrow in the Tournament Championship:
"It's a great opportunity for us. We get a chance to play in the conference championship in one of the best conferences in collegiate tennis. I'm really proud of our guys for creating this opportunity with the effort and work they've put in this season.

"A lot has gone into this to get us to this point and the guys are hungry for it. They're certainly not satisfied. The loss we took in Athens a few weeks ago still sits right in our chests -- and we haven't forgotten about it. I know our guys will be motivated. And not only motivated to play in the match, but to go out and compete like champions.

Final Results
#11 Florida 4, #13 Texas A&M 0

Doubles-Order of Finish: 3, 1*

1: #1 Hidalgo/Watson (UF) def. Bakshi/Withrow (TAMU), 6-4*
2: #68 Lipman/Orkin (UF) vs. Adams/Vinsant (TAMU), 4-5
3: Perez/Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Lunkin/Rinderknech (TAMU), 6-3

Singles-Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4*

1: #11 Diego Hidalgo (UF) vs. Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU): 2-6, 6-2, 1-5, susp.
2: #83 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. Shane Vinsant (TAMU): 6-1, 6-2
3: #36 Elliott Orkin (UF) def. Jordi Arconada (TAMU): 7-6 (3), 6-1
4: #123 Chase Perez-Blanco def. AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2*
5: Gordon Watson (UF) vs. Harrison Adams (TAMU) 4-6, 6-3, 4-3, susp.
6: McClain Kessler (UF) vs. Jackson Withrow (TAMU) 4-6, 7-5, 1-1, susp.

[Deleted]

It was an outstanding day for both women's and men's tennis teams. The SEC Women's Champion UF beat the UGALY poodles 4-2 in Baton Rouge, La. to become the SEC Women's Tournament Champion. In Columbia, SC., the men beat the SEC Men's Champion UGALY poodles 4-2 to become the SEC Men's Tournament Champion. The fact that both championships came against the poodles makes it much more sweet.

Women:

BATON ROUGE, La. - The No. 3 University of Florida women's tennis team defeated the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon to clinch the program's 20th SEC Tournament title. The Gators have now won 16 matches in a row.

In doubles action, the Gators were able to grab the doubles point over the Bulldogs with wins on three and one. Anna Danilina and Brianna Morgan defeated Brinson and Patterson, 6-2. Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan clinched the point with a 6-4 win on one over No. 12 Perez and Gould.

Singles action would go back and forth for the Gators and Bulldogs. Danilina was again the first off the singles court with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Laura Patterson on six. The Bulldogs got on the board with Shaffer's 6-3, 6-0 win over Belinda Woolcock on court two. In a Top-10 match up on one, Austin defeated No. 3 Ellen Perez, 6-3, 7-5 to put Georgia on the brink with a 3-1 Florida lead.

Court five saw Josie Kuhlman fall to Mariana Gould in three sets, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. In the end, senior Morgan clinched the match for the Florida Gators, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on court three to capture the program's 20th SEC Tournament title and the Gators' 16th straight dual match win.

Austin and Morgan were named to the SEC All-Tournament Team after stellar play throughout the tournament. After clinching the match this afternoon, Morgan was named the SEC Tournament MVP.

Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the journey to an SEC Tournament Title…
"I think the key thing for our players is to feel like they are getting better. We are getting fitter. The little things that we work on week in and week out seem to prevail. That is probably the most important thing. We want to be able to tell our players and have our players feel like they have done all the work necessary all year. There was nothing else they could have done by the time we line up for the NCAA Championships. It is easier to play freely and go for it then when you feel like you have done the work."

Final Results:
#3 Florida 4, #4 Georgia 2
Doubles-Order of Finish: 3, 1*1.#3 Austin/Keegan (UF) def. #12 Gould/Perez (UGA) 6-4
2.#36 Kuhlman/Woolcock (UF) vs. #66 Garcia/Shaffer (UGA)
3.#68 Danilina/Morgan (UF) def. Brinson/Patterson (UGA) 6-2
Singles-Order of Finish: 6, 2, 1, 5, 3*1.#7 Brooke Austin (UF) def. #3 Ellen Perez (UGA) 6-3, 7-5
2.#47 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. #9 Belinda Woolcock (UF) 6-3, 6-0
3.Brianna Morgan (UF) def. #97 Silvia Garcia (UGA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
4.#36 Kourtney Keegan (UF) vs. #30 Carolina Brinson (UGA) 7-5, 3-6, 5-4, susp.
5.Mariana Gould (UGA) def. Josie Kuhlman (UF) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
6.#65 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Laura Patterson (UGA) 6-3, 6-2

Men:

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The No. 11 University of Florida tennis team brought home the program's fifth Southeastern Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 win over the Georgia Bulldogs. The conference title marks Florida Head Coach Bryan Shelton's first SEC Tournament Championship.

Outlasting the regular season champions, Georgia, the Gators are the first SEC team to take down the Bulldogs in a head-to-head dual match this season.

In doubles action, the pairing of juniors Maxx Lipman and Elliot Orkin scored a 6-3 win over Georgia's Paul Oosterbaan and Jan Zielinski to get things started. Chase Perez-Blanco and Alfredo Perez followed up with a 6-4 win over the UGA's Wayne Montgomery and Emil Reinberg -- sealing the doubles point and a 1-0 lead.

The Gators are now 15-4 when clinching the doubles point.
It wasn't easy, but the Gators got it done again in singles play. With the score at 3-2, Florida, senior Gordon Watson brought home the match-clinching win on a three-set victory over Georgia's Nick Wood.

Earlier in singles play, Perez came through to open things up with 6-3 wins in straight sets to take down the Bulldog's Wayne Montgomery. Chase Perez-Blanco earned UF's third point with a 6-2 and 7-6 wins over Georgia's Walker Duncan. Watson's final point sealed the 4-2 victory.

Up Next:
The Gators will return to action at the 2016 NCAA Tennis Tournament, scheduled from May 13-25.

Head Coach Bryan Shelton on the win:
"I couldn't be prouder of this group of guys. We prepared all season long for this moment -- to be in the finals, to fight for a conference championship. With every loss, with every win, with every practice. Our mantra all season long has become 'do what we do and be where we are'. Every day, our guys show up ready to work and ready to get better.

"I'm just really proud of our guys for sticking together this season, for bringing that enthusiasm to practice every day, and just becoming who they are while continuing to believe in themselves."

Senior Gordon Watson on the Win:
"We had our goals set on the SEC Title. We weren't able to get it done during the regular season but that's just a testament of this team's resiliency. We were able to bounce back from A&M and Georgia and come in here, reset, and reevaluate ourselves. We took it one step at a time, one match at a time, and got it done today."

Final Results
#11 Florida 4, #6 Georgia 2

Doubles-Order of Finish: 4, 6*
2: #1 Hidalgo/Watson (UF) vs. Smith/Wagland (UGA): 5-4
4: #68 Lipman/Orkin (UF) def. Osterbaan/Zielinski (UGA): 6-3
6: Perez/Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Montgomery/Reinberg (UGA): 6-4*

Singles-Order of Finish: 2, 1, 4, 3, 5*
1: #11 Diego Hidalgo (UF) vs. Austin Smith (UGA): 4-6, 4-6
2: #83 Alfredo Perez (UF) vs. Wayne Montgomery (UGA): 6-3, 6-3
3: #36 Elliott Orkin (UF) vs. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA): 6-7(7), 4-6
4: #123 Chase Perez-Blanco vs. Walker Duncan (UGA): 6-2, 7-6,
5: Gordon Watson (UF) vs. Nick Wood (UGA): 3-6, 7-5, 6-3*
6: McClain Kessler (UF) vs. Emil Reinberg (UGA): 1-6, 7-6(3), 3-3

Yearly Award Recipients
Gordon Watson: 2016 SEC Tournament MVP
Alfredo Perez: All Tournament Team


 

[Deleted]

The women are the #2 seed and the men are the #9 seed in the women's and men's NCAA tournament.

[Deleted]

5.13.2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No.1-ranked University of Florida women's tennis team defeated the South Carolina State Bulldogs on Friday afternoon in the NCAA Tennis First Round. The Gators will now play the Syracuse Orange on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET at the Ring Tennis Complex.

The Gators were quick to grab the doubles point on Friday afternoon blanking a pair of Bulldog duos on courts one and two. The No. 42-ranked tandem of Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock shutout the Bulldogs' Vasic and Marcanikova. Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan would clinch the point on court one with a 6-0 win over Rassif and Brown.

In singles action, Spencer Liang was the first off the court with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Roca on court six. Anna Danilina continued a streak of shutouts with a 6-0, 6-0 win of her own on court five. Sophomore Kuhlman would clinch the Gators' win with a 6-0, 6-0 victory on court four over Brown.

The Gators are now 18-0 in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. Florida will continue play in Gainesville tomorrow afternoon as they take on the Syracuse Orange at 3 p.m. with a ticket to the NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Okla. on the line.

[Deleted]

5.16.2016

Women & Men Advanced To The Sweet 16 National Championships.

[Deleted]

Stanford beat the UF women 4-3 in the Sweet 16. It was a good season, but disappointing that 2 of 3 UF losses on the season came at the hands of the Cardinal. Stanford has advanced to the Final Four. UF's other loss on the season came to a California team that has advanced to the Final Four. The three losses were by 4-3 scores, two on the road in California. UF beat Vandy and the the dores have advanced to the Final Four. It's safe to say I think the women are disappointed at exiting in the Sweet 16.

The UF men have reached the Elite Eight. The men are the 9 seed. They are facing off with 1 seed Virginia at 1 PM EDT today. 

This is a role reversal as I expected to see the women make a run at the national championship instead of the men:

TULSA, Okla. – The No. 9 University of Florida men's tennis team is set for a rematch in the NCAA Quarterfinals with the Virginia Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. The Gators are looking to avenge a regular season 5-2 decision to UVA in Gainesville on April 6. First serve with Virginia is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Florida used a sweep of the SMU Mustangs on Friday afternoon to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinal round for the first time in over 10 years. UF's gritty performance in doubles earned them a momentum-swinging doubles point that would propel the bottom of the lineup to singles victories at four, five and six. Senior Gordon Watson and freshman McClain Kessler have each won in all three of UF's NCAA matches. Kessler clinched Florida's 4-0 sweep of USF on May 15 to punch the Gators' tickets to Tulsa. Meanwhile, Watson has been on a tear in singles recently with a seven match winning streak going into Sunday's contest.

The Orange and Blue are currently on a nine match winning streak after back-to-back losses to the Virginia Cavaliers and the Georgia Bulldogs on April 6 and 8. Since then, Florida has swept six of those opponents and earned four wins over Top-20 opponents.

Last Serve with the Cavaliers
The Gators fell to Virginia on April 6, 5-2 in Gainesville. After grabbing the doubles point, UF fell on five singles courts with Hidalgo getting the lone Florida win on one.

Series History against Virginia
Florida leads the all-time series, 4-3

Gators in the NCAA Quarterfinal Round
The Gators are into the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since the 2005 season. UF has a record of 2-3 in the Elite Eight.

Florida on a Roll
UF is currently on a nine match winning streak since back-to-back losses to Virginia and the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. Since then, the Gators have swept six of those opponents and won the program's fifth SEC Tournament title.

Dominating in Doubles
Over the span of 12 matches, Florida has won the doubles point in each of those contests. The last time the Gators dropped the doubles point was on March 27 against Alabama. The dominating play is due in large part to a stellar combination of teams where each of the three team have clinched at least two points for the Orange and Blue.

Match Information
#9 Florida vs. #1 Virginia
NCAA Quarterfinal Round
Sunday, May 22 at 1 p.m. ET
Michael D. Case Tennis Center | Tulsa, Okla.

[Deleted]

The Gators men came to a season end with a 4-0 loss to #1 Virginia in the Elite Eight. The season is now over for the men and women with the women ended in the Sweet 16.

[Deleted]

2.10.2017

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – For the first time during this young season, top-ranked Florida dropped the doubles point and found itself in the unusual place of having to rally for the win. The Gators did just that on Friday when they won four singles matches in straight sets to earn the 4-1 victory against No. 13 Michigan in the first round of the 2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships hosted by Yale University.
 
Florida advances to the quarterfinals where it will play Texas Tech on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Lady Raiders upset No. 9 Vanderbilt, 4-2, in their opening-round match.
 
The Gators and Wolverines split doubles courts two and three, leaving the match at the No. 1 position to determine the initial team point of the dual match. Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan found themselves in a tight battle against third-ranked Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian and held serve to force a tiebreak at 6-all. UM jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the breaker, but the Gators won the next two points and evened things. Michigan, however, regained the advantage on the next serve and wouldn't trail again, taking the tiebreak and the match, 7-6 (4) to give the Wolverines the early 1-0 lead on the team scoreboard.
 
Florida quickly regrouped and won the first set on courts 3, 4, 5 and 6, with Ingrid Neel, Josie Kuhlman, Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan, respectively. Those four maintained their leads and each earned a straight set victory to capture the team win.
 
The Gators improved to 4-0 all-time against Michigan.
 
 
Postmatch with UF Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:
"We learned a little bit of a lesson in doubles. We probably played on our heels too much and that's something we're going to have to address for tomorrow.
 
"Boy, we answered the bell after we lost the doubles point. We played great poise and maturity in singles. Credit to Michigan because they really took it to us in doubles. We were pretty determined for that not to happen in singles.
 
"It's a really good, competitive team with great athletes that Michigan fields and I was really happy that we could win four singles matches in straight sets to advance.
 
"We're going to rest up and get ready for tomorrow."
 
 
Florida at the National Indoor
This is Florida's 17th all-time appearance in the national event, but just its second in the last six years.
The Gators have won the championship six times, with the last title coming in 1998-99. Since that year, Florida has competed in the event just five times.
The last time the Gators were at the NTIC was in 2014-15 and the squad reached the semifinals.
 
Following the Action
For updated draws, results, live scoring and video, daily video highlights and photo galleries, head to the Division I Women's National Indoors event page.
On social media, be sure to follow @ita_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram and use the hashtag #ITAIndoors to join the conversation.
FloTennis will be on site providing live streaming coverage of all four days of competition. FloTennis is a subscription-based service with monthly and annual rate options. To sign up and view the live stream, click here.
 
Quick Overview
The ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship is in its 30th year of existence.
Fifteen teams qualified for the event by winning their respective 2017 ITA Kick-Off Weekend four-team regional, while Yale received an automatic bid as the host site.
The teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament over a four-day span to crown a national indoor champion.
Each team is guaranteed three matches at the event.
 
What's Next for the Gators
Who: Florida vs. Texas Tech (4-1)
Where: Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, Conn.
When: Saturday, February 11 * 3:30 p.m.
What: Quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Of Note: this is the first meeting between the two programs
 
 
 
2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships – First Round
Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, CT
Friday, February 10, 2017
 
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 13 Michigan
 
Final Score: Florida d. Michigan, 4-1
 
Singles
1. Belinda Woolcock (40), UF vs. Kate Fahey (26), UM 2-6, 4-4 DNF
2. Anna Danilina (23), UF vs. Brienne Minor (27), UM 4-6, 6-2, DNF
3. Ingrid Neel (45), UF d. Alex Najarian (64), UM 6-2, 6-2
4. Josie Kuhlman (19), UF d. Chiara Lommer, UM 6-3, 6-1
5. Brooke Austin, UF d. Mira Ruder-Hook, UM 7-5, 6-3*
6. Kourtney Keegan (30), UF d. Valeria Patiuk, UM 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. K. Fahey/A. Najarian (3), UM d. Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (18), UF 7-6 (4)*
2. B. Minor/M. Ruder-Hook (40), UM d. Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (22), UF 6-3
3. Belinda Woolcock/Josie Kuhlman (17), UF d. C. Lommer/V. Patiuk, UM 6-3
 
Order of Finish: D – 2, 3, 1*; S – 6, 3, 4, 5*
Team Ranking: Florida – 1; Michigan – 13
Updated Records: Florida 4-0; Michigan
 
 
Complete Team Results – First Round
Ohio State d. Auburn, 4-1
Florida d. Michigan, 4-1
California d. Georgia Tech, 4-0
Oklahoma State d. Ole Miss, 4-0
Pepperdine d. Texas A&M, 4-2
Texas Tech d. Vanderbilt, 4-1
North Carolina de. Yale, 4-0
Georgia vs. Duke – late match
 
 

[Deleted]

If UF and tOSU win in the semifinal today, there will be a Gators vs. bucknut match up in the indoor championship final:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Head Coach Roland Thornqvist called his Gators' performance a bit of "Jekyll and Hyde" showing and in the end they earned a solid 4-1 win against No. 12 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals of the 2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships hosted by Yale University on Saturday.
 
Florida advances to the semifinals where it will play the winner of Saturday's late match between No. 3 Pepperdine and No. 6 Georgia. The semifinals will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
 
The Gators defeated Pepperdine just seven days ago – February 4 – in Malibu, 5-2. Florida and Georgia are Southeastern Conference rivals and schedule to meet March 17 in Gainesville.
 
For the second consecutive day, Florida found itself in a tough battle on the doubles courts, as the first two matches off split decisions, leaving it up to court No. 1 to decide the initial team point of the dual match.
 
UF's Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan, ranked No. 18, rose to the challenge, rallying for a 7-5 victory against the 23rd-ranked duo of Sabrina Federici and Sarah Dvorak.
 
From there, freshman Ingrid Neel needed little time to give the Gators a 2-0 lead as she marched past Dvorak, 6-0, 6-4 on court No. 3.
 
After Texas Tech took the win on court No. 2, senior Belinda Woolcock won a tough match at the No. 1 spot, where the 40th-ranked Gator downed 15th-ranked Gabriela Talaba, 6-4, 6-3, and put Florida one singles win away from the dual match victory.
 
Junior Josie Kuhlman obliged, as she downed Alex Valenstein, 6-3, 6-4, to collected clinching honors and send the Gators into the semifinals.
 
Saturday's win marked Florida's 50th all-time win at the National Team Indoor Championships, with the Gators sporting a 50-13 record.
 
 
Postmatch with UF Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:
"It was a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde match for us. We played great at No. 2 doubles and started off super slow at one doubles, but was able to turn it around. We had some of the same in singles, where a couple courts started off really well and a couple of courts it took us a while to warm up. The good thing about this squad is that we don't seem to panic. We keep our poise and keep plugging away. It seems we get a little bit tougher and a little bit stronger with every 30 minutes that goes by. I was pleased at the end that we were able to win 4-1.
 
"Our resiliency really stood out today. Belinda (Woolcock) was really good. She was determined and held onto the ball great. Ingrid (Neel) and Josie (Kuhlman) were super efficient. On courts five and six we were in big holes and we were able to turn it around. Overall, I was pleased. Texas Tech was a really tough team. They are great competitors so I was super happy with the win."
 
 
Florida at the National Indoor
This is Florida's 17th all-time appearance in the national event, but just its second in the last six years.
The Gators have won the championship six times, with the last title coming in 1998-99. Since that year, Florida has competed in the event just five times.
The last time the Gators were at the NTIC was in 2014-15 and the squad reached the semifinals.
 
Following the Action
For updated draws, results, live scoring and video, daily video highlights and photo galleries, head to the Division I Women's National Indoors event page.
On social media, be sure to follow @ita_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram and use the hashtag #ITAIndoors to join the conversation.
FloTennis will be on site providing live streaming coverage of all four days of competition. FloTennis is a subscription-based service with monthly and annual rate options. To sign up and view the live stream, click here.
 
Quick Overview
The ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship is in its 30th year of existence.
Fifteen teams qualified for the event by winning their respective 2017 ITA Kick-Off Weekend four-team regional, while Yale received an automatic bid as the host site.
The teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament over a four-day span to crown a national indoor champion.
Each team is guaranteed three matches at the event.
 
What's Next for the Gators
Who: Florida vs. Pepperdine or Georgia
Where: Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, Conn.
When: Sunday, February 12 * 3:30 p.m. ET
What: Semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Of Note: Florida is 3-0 all-time against Pepperdine in the National Team Indoor Championships; 1-1 against Georgia
 
 
 
2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships – Quarterfinals
Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center * New Haven, CT
Saturday, February 11, 2017
 
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 12 Texas Tech
 
Final Score: Florida d. Texas Tech, 4-1
 
Singles
1. Belinda Woolcock (40), UF d. Gabriela Talaba (15), TTU 6-4, 6-3
2. Felicity Maltby (116), TTU d. Anna Danilina (23), UF 6-2, 6-4
3. Ingrid Neel (45), UF d. Sarah Dvorak, TTU 6-0, 6-4
4. Josie Kuhlman (19), UF d. Alex Valenstein, TTU 6-3, 6-4*
5. Brooke Austin, UF vs. Sabrina Federici, TTU 7-6 (6), 3-4 DNF
6. Spencer Liang (41), UF vs. Katelyn Jackson, TTU 1-6, 6-1, 2-3 DNF
 
Doubles
1. Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (18), UF d. S. Federici/S. Dvorak (23), TTU 7-5*
2. Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (22), UF d. L. Kiro/A. Valenstein, TTU, 6-0
3. F. Maltby/G. Talaba, TTU d. Belinda Woolcock/Josie Kuhlman (17), UF, 7-5
 
Order of Finish: D – 2, 3, 1*; S – 3, 2, 1, 4*
Team Ranking: Florida – 1; Texas Tech – 12
Updated Records: Florida 5-0; Texas Tech 4-2
 
 
Complete Team Results – Quarterfinals
(1) Florida d. Texas Tech, 4-1
(4) Pepperdine vs. (5) Georgia – late start
(6) Ohio State d. (4) Oklahoma State, 4-3
(2) North Carolina d. (7) California, 4-2
 
 
Gator Pronunciations
Anna Danilina: ON-nah don-uh-LEE-nah
Josie Kuhlman: COOL-mun

[Deleted]

The next 2 days could be a preview of the NCAA championship semifinal and final rounds:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – No. 1 Florida will play No. 6 Georgia in the semifinals of the National Team Indoor Championships held at Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
 
Florida is 1-1 all-time against Georgia in the National Team Indoor Championships.
 
Florida and Georgia are Southeastern Conference rivals and schedule to meet March 17 in Gainesville.
 
The other semifinal match features No. 2-seed North Carolina vs. No. 6-seed Ohio State.

[Deleted]

The indoor championship will be played on Monday between #1 UF and #2 UNC. The Gators beat the #5 poodles 4-0 and the tar heels beat the #6 bucknuts 4-3.

[Deleted]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Gators blanked sixth-ranked and fifth-seeded Georgia, 4-0, and advanced to the final of the 2017 ITA National Team Indoor Championships hosted by Yale University on Sunday.
 
With the win, Florida earned a date in the final against second-ranked and No. 2-seeded North Carolina on Monday at 11 a.m. ET. The Tar Heels won a 4-3 thriller against sixth-seeded Ohio State in their semifinal match.
 
The Gators and Tar Heels have met once prior at the National Team Indoors and UNC handed Florida a 4-0 shutout in the 2015 semifinals.
 
On Sunday, Florida won the doubles point for the second straight day and before getting quick, straight-set singles wins from Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan that gave the Gators a 3-0 lead in the team scoring.
 
The four remaining singles matches were battles, with Florida winning the first set on courts one and two, the latter in a tough tiebreak, while the Dawgs claimed the opening set on the other spots.
 
While courts three and four were split sets, senior Belinda Woolcock polished off Ellen Perez, 6-3, 7-6 (6), to provide the clinching dual match victory.
 
 
Postmatch with UF Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:
"We played really well today. I've been happy to see that we've been playing better every day here. We're a little more comfortable in a competitive environment and a little more comfortable playing indoors. Today, was by far the best we've played since we arrived."
 
"We handled the pace of play better. There were so many positives from today. Doubles, we played aggressively again. Brooke (Austin) and Kourtney (Keegan) were off the court quick in singles and that really helped. On courts three and four, we lost the first set on both and I told Anna (Danilina) and Josie (Kuhlman) after the match that one of the reasons that we were able to win in straight sets on court one was that they were able to turn their matches into a third set and that took a lot of pressure off of Belinda (Woolcock)."
 
"North Carolina is used to being here in the final. They've won it before so we're going to have our hands full tomorrow. It's important for us to play at the same high level that we did today in order for us to have a chance."
 
 
Path to the Final
Florida: First Round def. Michigan, 4-1; Quarterfinals def. Texas Tech, 4-1; Semifinals def. (5) Georgia 4-0
North Carolina: First Round def. Yale, 4-0; QF d. (7) California, 4-2; SF d. (6) Ohio State, 4-3

[mscott59]

Feb 12, 2017 19:11:32 GMT -5 ETGator1 said:

The indoor championship will be played on Monday between #1 UF and #2 UNC. The Gators beat the #5 poodles 4-0 and the tar heels beat the #6 bucknuts 4-3.

tough loss for tosu there. unc won a tie breaker in the last doubles match to take that point. in the singles matches, osu came back to tie it 3-3 and it came down to the finale, #5 haley carter for the heels vs #1 francesca di lorenzo for the bucks, and it went to carter 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

[Deleted]

Feb 13, 2017 11:56:17 GMT -5 mscott59 said:

Feb 12, 2017 19:11:32 GMT -5 ETGator1 said:

The indoor championship will be played on Monday between #1 UF and #2 UNC. The Gators beat the #5 poodles 4-0 and the tar heels beat the #6 bucknuts 4-3.

tough loss for tosu there. unc won a tie breaker in the last doubles match to take that point. in the singles matches, osu came back to tie it 3-3 and it came down to the finale, #5 haley carter for the heels vs #1 francesca di lorenzo for the bucks, and it went to carter 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Haley Carter was winning her match in the 3rd set 4-0 against UF, but the match wasn't completed as #1 UF scored the 4-2 team win over #2 UNC. Even though UF had the indoor championship won, I'd have liked to see the match completed with the final match score likely 4-3 UF, but that isn't how they do things in college tennis. The match stops where it is at the moment there is a match winner.