Top-Seeded Florida Blanks Georgia Tech in NCAA Women's Tennis Second Round

Gator seniors Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) and Caroline Hitimana (Waterloo, Belgium) made their final home appearance a memorable one, as they helped Florida earn a 4-0 win against No. 23 Georgia Tech in the second round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships played at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon.

Florida advances to NCAA Round of 16 and plays No. 15 Duke (16-9) on Friday, May 17 at 10 a.m.ET/9 a.m. CT, in Champaign-Urbana, Ill. The Blue Devils knocked off host Texas Tech, 4-3, in their second-round match.

VIDEO – 2Ways2Watch

Highlights and Postmatch interviews with Coach Thornqvist, Lauren Embree, Caroline Hitimana and Sofie Oyen:

YouTube: http://youtu.be/G1Nil_Yi39Y
and
GatorVision Online: http://www.gatorvision.tv/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=2424513&db_oem_id=6500

Embree and Hitmana were on the two doubles teams that captured wins and ultimately the doubles point to begin the match, before Embree’s 6-0, 6-0 singles victory gave Florida a 2-0 lead in the team scoring.

Freshman Brianna Morgan (Beverly Hills, Calif.) and junior Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, Fla.) provided the final two singles wins that helped the Gators win their 17th consecutive match and march into the NCAA Round of 16 for the 30th time in the 32-year history of the event.

“I thought we played excellent doubles,” UF head coach Roland Thornqvist said. “One doubles was really fun to watch because they have a really quality one doubles team. I like the momentum that carried us into the beginning part of singles after that and I just don’t think we every really looked back. We looked fit. We moved well. The crowd really helped us also, so I was very pleased with pretty much everything today.”

Embree’s win against Elizabeth Kilborn was her 20th consecutive singles victory, as well as her 38th straight in dual match competition, as she improved to 116-14 in her overall singles career, including a 14-0 record in NCAA dual matches.

Hitimana, who held a 6-1, 3-3 lead in her singles match when play was abandoned, paired with junior Alexandra Cercone (Seminole, Fla.) at the No. 2 doubles position, where the tandem posted an impressive 8-2 win for the first individual victory of the afternoon. That decision proved to be an important one, as Georgia Tech claimed the outcome on court three, before Embree and junior Sofie Oyen (Leopoldsburg, Belgium) provided the clinching 8-6 win for the doubles point.

Hitimana, who improved to 12-1 in her NCAA doubles dual match career, and Embree capped their collegiate home career leading the Gators to a perfect 55-0 record at the Ring Tennis Complex and became just the sixth Gator senior class to finish with an undefeated home mark.

“It is bittersweet to not be able to play another match here at home,” Embree shared. “Our fans were great today, a lot of people showed up for our match. It was good to play in front of the fans. It is always good to play in front of them. Their support means a lot to us. We are not done yet. We are still going to go to Champaign and hopefully continue this year and see how it goes.”

Florida (24-2), which hasn’t been as dominating on the doubles court as in recent years, battled and won the doubles point for the 16th time this season.

Cercone and Hitimana jumped out to a 4-1 lead on court two against Jasmine Minor and Natasha Prokhnevska, who earned a break in the sixth game, but lost serve in the seventh, as Hitimana held for a 6-2 Gator lead, fighting off three break points. The UF tandem then broke at love and Cercone served out for the 8-2 win.

Georgia Tech (15-10) followed by taking the decision on court three, leaving the doubles point outcome to court one, where Embree and Oyen were playing long, exciting rallies against Megan Kurey and Kendal Woodard. Embree held for a 5-3 lead and the Gators capitalized on their fifth break point on Woodard in the ninth game for a 6-3 advantage. Oyen went to the baseline and held double-game point, but could not close it out as the Yellow Jacket pair swatted away three game points and got the break o their first opportunity. Kurey then held, as did Embree, who gave the Gators a 7-5 lead. Oyen later served out for the 8-6 win and the doubles point.

On the singles court, Embree posted a double-bagel decision for the second straight match and the fifth time in her career, downing Elizabeth Kilborn in 59 minutes.

“The last game I was thinking about it,” said Embree of knowing that this would be the final home match of her career. “Before the game I knew I wanted to finish my match for the last time so the last game I was thinking about it that my chances were pretty high to finish. The last point when I was done I was thinking I am never going to play here. But we still have this year and hopefully a couple more matches to go so I’m not too sad yet. I haven’t really thought about it yet.”

Morgan followed with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Megan Kurey on court four, as the Gator rookie won her 11th consecutive singles match.

Janowicz provided the clinching dual match victory, a 6-2, 6-3 win over Muriel Wacker that helped the Gators cap their home slate with a 14-0 record, the 23rd undefeated home record in program history and extend their overall home win streak to 121, the longest active run of any NCAA Division I women’s team in any sport.

Sunday’s victory also was the 300th win for Thornqvist, who is 300-33 in 12 years with the Gators.

“I have been blessed with players like this,” said Thornqvist of the milestone victory. “That makes it much easier to reach that number.”