The
top-ranked University of Florida women’s tennis team passed its first test true
test of the season, defeating fifth-ranked Baylor, 5-2, at Hurd Tennis Center
Saturday afternoon in Waco, Texas.
The
Gators (3-0) won the doubles point for the third time in as many matches this
year, before capturing four hard-fought singles matches, with five of the six
playing three sets.
Junior
Caroline Hitimana continued her strong start to the dual match season,
earning a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Megan Horter at the No. 6 position in the
only match that didn’t go three sets. The win was Hitimana’s sixth consecutive
overall singles victory, as well as her 13th straight in dual match
action, and gave Florida a 3-0 lead in the team scoring.
Sophomore
Sofie Oyen was the first to finish her singles match, earning a 6-3,
2-6, 6-1 win against Ema Burgic on court five. Oyen also tallied her sixth
consecutive singles win and helped the Gators take a 2-0 lead.
Baylor,
which was off to one of the best starts in program history in winning its first
nine dual matches of the season, then got on the board when Sona Novakova
knocked off senior Joanna Mather, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on court three.
Junior
All-American and third-ranked Allie Will then clinched the dual match
victory when she clocked in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win against 14th-ranked
Diana Nakic, as she improved to 7-0 overall this season.
The
Bears earned their second point of the dual match when Nina Secerbegovic upset
UF’s 25th-ranked Lauren Embree, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, on court two. Embree, who
had not lost a game in her two prior singles dual matches this year, lost for
just the fourth time in her dual match career and had her 43-match singles win
streak snapped in team competition, as her career dual match record now stands
at 46-4.
Sophomore
Alexandra Cercone provided the final team point, as she defeated Jordaan
Sanford, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, on court four and posted her 16th straight
dual match singles win.
“It
was really tough, five three setters,” UF coach Roland Thornqvist said. “They
had a great crowd and I thought our players handled it well. It came down to a
few games here and there. Perhaps it wasn’t the greatest of tennis but we
showed a lot of heart because this Baylor team is really good. It was a great
match for us. It certainly give us some data of things we need to work on. We
showed a lot of class to be able to come in here and beat a really, really good
Baylor team. This is a final four-caliber team we played team. I was very
encouraged by the way we were able to compete at the end.”
On
the doubles court, UF’s teams of Lauren Embree and Joanna Mather, and Sofie
Oyen Allie Will earned victories on courts two and one, respectively and gave
the Gators the early 1-0 team lead.
Florida
returns to action on Tuesday, when the Gators put their 24-match winning streak
on the line when they play host to South Florida beginning at 4 p.m. Admission
to all regular-season home matches is free.
Florida
has won 97 consecutive home matches entering Tuesday’s match against the Bulls.
