The
fourth-ranked University of Florida women’s tennis team lost a 4-3 decision on
the road to Southeastern Conference newcomer and sixth-ranked Texas A&M on
Sunday afternoon at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
The loss snapped the Gator’s 37-match SEC regular-season
win streak. Florida’s last loss regular-season league was during the 2008-09
season. Including SEC Tournament and NCAA Championship matches, the Gators had
won 45 consecutive outings against league teams.
“Texas
A&M did a really good job,” UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. “The real
difference in the match was the doubles and unfortunately we did not play very
well. For the first time all year it was really with us in our singles play. We
scrapped and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, but it was too big of a
hole to dig out of today. We have credit Texas A&M for taking two three-set
matches off of us. We had only lost one three-setter before today they had to
win two of the team against us today so you have to give them all the credit.
We’re going to rebound and play Florida State on Wednesday.”
Texas
A&M (8-1,
2-0 SEC) won
the doubles point, before the Gators (7-2, 1-1 SEC) were able to even the team
scoring after freshman Brianna Morgan defeated Wen Sun, 6-2, 6-1.
The
Aggies reclaimed the lead when Cristina Stancu upset 11th-ranked Sofie Oyen, 7-5, 6-0,
on court two.
Florida
again tied the team scoring with freshman Danielle Collin’s 6-3, 6-4 victory
against Stefania Hristov and then took its first lead of the dual match when
top-ranked Lauren Embree earned a 6-4, 7-5 win against sixth-ranked Cristina
Sanchez-Quintanar.
Embree’s
win was her 25th consecutive in dual match singles play, as she improved to
72-5 in her career dual matches.
The
deciding match came down to court three and TAMU’s Nazari Urbina emerged
with the 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1 decision over Alexandra Cercone.
