Friday, May 19
Athens, Ga.
6:00 PM
Texas A&M
0
vs
4
Florida
Photo by: Richard Hamm
No. 20 Texas A&M Falls to No. 1 Florida, 4-0
May 19, 2017 | Women's Tennis
ATHENS, Georgia— No. 20 Texas A&M saw its season come to a close today with a 4-0 loss to No. 1 Florida in the NCAA Championship round of 16 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The Aggies last played on the Henry Feild Courts in the regular season finale on April 16 and upset then-No. 2 Georgia to record the highest ranked win in program history. A&M was unable to pull off another record-setting triumph, as the Gators won two of three doubles matches and won the first three singles matches to be completed in straight sets to get the victory.
Texas A&M, the only unseeded team to reach the round of 16, finishes 18-13 after reaching the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five years and the fifth time overall. Six-time national champion Florida (26-3) advances to the quarterfinals to take on No. 9 seed Oklahoma State, Sunday at 4 p.m. The Cowgirls defeated No. 8 seed Georgia Tech, 4-3, to advance.
After splitting the first two doubles matches to be completed, the doubles point came down to a tiebreaker in the last match standing. Florida had won the first match to be completed as the 11th-ranked duo of Anna Danilina and Ingrid Neel won five consecutive games to close out a 6-2 victory over seventh-ranked Rutuja Bhosale and Rachel Pierson at the No. 1 position.
Juniors Domenica Gonzalez and Eva Paalma entered their match 1-4 against ranked opponents this season, but the Aggie duo quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead against 20th-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan at the No. 2 line. Florida later got within 5-3 before Gonzalez and Paalma won, 6-3, to record their highest ranked win of the season and improve to 20-14 overall.
At the No. 3 position, A&M seniors Saska Gavrilovska and Stefania Hristov went up a break, 2-1, against 45th-ranked Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock, but the Gators put the match back on serve at 3-3. The match remained on serve for the duration, forcing the contest to be decided by a tiebreaker. The score was tied, 1-1, before the Gators reeled off six unanswered points to win the tiebreaker and clinch the doubles point for Florida.
Florida opened singles play by winning the first set on five of six courts. Danilina, ranked 44th, went on to defeat Gavrilovska, 6-3, 6-0, at the No. 4 line to put the Gators ahead, 2-0.
Sixth-ranked Woolcock cruised to a 6-0 first-set win over No. 16 Pierson and held a 4-1 lead at No. 1 before Pierson mounted a comeback. Pierson got within 5-4 before Woolcock held serve to win in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4, and put the Gators up, 3-0.
Keegan, ranked 59th in singles and playing the No. 6 line, would clinch the winning point for the Gators with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over junior Macarena Olivares. The first set was on serve until Keegan went up a break at 5-3 and then held serve to win, 6-3. Keegan was up a break, 2-1, in the second set before winning four consecutive games to close out the match and send the Gators to the quarterfinal matchup against the Cowgirls.
Bhosale, No. 53 in singles, was the only Aggie to win a first set after winning a tiebreaker, 7-3, against 23rd-ranked Kuhlman at No. 2. The second set was on serve with Bhosale up, 2-1, when the match was stopped.
Gonzalez had earned a split against 31st-ranked Neel at No. 3. Neel overcame a 5-1 deficit in the first set to win, 7-5, but Gonzalez won the first five games of the second set and went on to win the frame, 6-1, just before the match was abandoned.
Austin had overcome a 4-1 first-set deficit against Paalma to win, 7-5, but Paalma was leading the second set, 4-2, when play was halted.
The loss marks the end of the career for Gavrilovska and Hristov. A&M's other two seniors, Bhosale and Pierson, will compete in the NCAA singles and doubles championships beginning May 24 in Athens.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Aggie-Womens-Tennis/143874782434654
POSTMATCH QUOTES:
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH MARK WEAVER
On today's match...
"I was very pleased with the way we approached the match. We went into this really thinking we could win this, and all credit to Florida. The doubles could have gone either way. All year we've had so many doubles points that have come down to tiebreakers, and those are the kind that can go either way; they're 50/50, and it went their way tonight.
"Although it was 4-0 on the scoreboard, there were two or three first sets that might could have gone our way. You just never know, but at the end of the day, Florida is just a very talented team, and on paper they are the best team here. I think anybody at this point can win it, but they definitely from 1-6 have six very, very good tennis players on their team and even some on their bench that are pretty darn good as well.
"It is just amazing how we turned the season around. Five or six weeks ago we were 10-10 and weren't looking too good and in jeopardy of missing the tournament, and we did a great job of taking our licks and bouncing right back. I couldn't be more proud of the girls. And for our seniors, I appreciate all they have done for our program over the years. And I think this is great for the girls who are returning. We gained a lot of experience for next year, and with that we leave on a positive note for next year."
FLORIDA HEAD COACH ROLAND THORNQVIST
On today's match...
"It was tough, a lot tougher than the 4-0 score, that is for sure. First of all doubles, we did a really good job at three doubles, playing our best tennis at the tiebreaker. We had great courage. Of the seven points we won the tiebreaker and poached four and that's all you can ask as a coach. We had courage and we went for it. I think that is how you win big meets. In singles we had to turn a couple of huge deficits in first sets around, and I think that is the dagger that really hurt Texas A&M. You can see some of their energy sort of went away in the second sets. We were able to turn three and five around after huge deficits. Overall I am really proud, we fought hard with great energy and actually played pretty well too against a very gritty and much improved Texas A&M team."
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M vs Florida
5/19/2017 at Athens, GA
(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
#1 Florida 4, #20 Texas A&M 0
Singles competition
1. #6 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. #16 Rachel Pierson (A&M) 6-0, 6-4
2. #23 Josie Kuhlman (UF) vs. #53 Rutuja Bhosale (A&M) 6-7 (3-7), 1-2, unfinished
3. #31 Ingrid Neel (UF) vs. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) 7-5, 1-6, unfinished
4. #44 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Saska Gavrilovska (A&M) 6-3, 6-0
5. Brooke Austin (UF) vs. Eva Paalma (A&M) 7-5, 2-4, unfinished
6. #59 Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. Macarena Olivares (A&M) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #11 Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (UF) def. #7 Rutuja Bhosale/Rachel Pierson (A&M) 6-2
2. Domenica Gonzalez/Eva Paalma (A&M) def. #20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) 6-3
3. #45 Josie Kuhlman/Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Saska Gavrilovska/Stefania Hristov (A&M) 7-6 (7-1)
Match Notes:
Texas A&M 18-13; National ranking #20
Florida 26-3; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,1,6)
NCAA Championship -- Round of 16
Florida advances to quarterfinals to face No. 9 Oklahoma State
Pronunciations
Rutuja Bhosale rue-too-jah BO-slay
Tina Bokhua BO-kwah
Saska Gavrilovska SAUSH-ka gav-ril-ohv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Eva Paalma A-
The Aggies last played on the Henry Feild Courts in the regular season finale on April 16 and upset then-No. 2 Georgia to record the highest ranked win in program history. A&M was unable to pull off another record-setting triumph, as the Gators won two of three doubles matches and won the first three singles matches to be completed in straight sets to get the victory.
Texas A&M, the only unseeded team to reach the round of 16, finishes 18-13 after reaching the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five years and the fifth time overall. Six-time national champion Florida (26-3) advances to the quarterfinals to take on No. 9 seed Oklahoma State, Sunday at 4 p.m. The Cowgirls defeated No. 8 seed Georgia Tech, 4-3, to advance.
After splitting the first two doubles matches to be completed, the doubles point came down to a tiebreaker in the last match standing. Florida had won the first match to be completed as the 11th-ranked duo of Anna Danilina and Ingrid Neel won five consecutive games to close out a 6-2 victory over seventh-ranked Rutuja Bhosale and Rachel Pierson at the No. 1 position.
Juniors Domenica Gonzalez and Eva Paalma entered their match 1-4 against ranked opponents this season, but the Aggie duo quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead against 20th-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan at the No. 2 line. Florida later got within 5-3 before Gonzalez and Paalma won, 6-3, to record their highest ranked win of the season and improve to 20-14 overall.
At the No. 3 position, A&M seniors Saska Gavrilovska and Stefania Hristov went up a break, 2-1, against 45th-ranked Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock, but the Gators put the match back on serve at 3-3. The match remained on serve for the duration, forcing the contest to be decided by a tiebreaker. The score was tied, 1-1, before the Gators reeled off six unanswered points to win the tiebreaker and clinch the doubles point for Florida.
Florida opened singles play by winning the first set on five of six courts. Danilina, ranked 44th, went on to defeat Gavrilovska, 6-3, 6-0, at the No. 4 line to put the Gators ahead, 2-0.
Sixth-ranked Woolcock cruised to a 6-0 first-set win over No. 16 Pierson and held a 4-1 lead at No. 1 before Pierson mounted a comeback. Pierson got within 5-4 before Woolcock held serve to win in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4, and put the Gators up, 3-0.
Keegan, ranked 59th in singles and playing the No. 6 line, would clinch the winning point for the Gators with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over junior Macarena Olivares. The first set was on serve until Keegan went up a break at 5-3 and then held serve to win, 6-3. Keegan was up a break, 2-1, in the second set before winning four consecutive games to close out the match and send the Gators to the quarterfinal matchup against the Cowgirls.
Bhosale, No. 53 in singles, was the only Aggie to win a first set after winning a tiebreaker, 7-3, against 23rd-ranked Kuhlman at No. 2. The second set was on serve with Bhosale up, 2-1, when the match was stopped.
Gonzalez had earned a split against 31st-ranked Neel at No. 3. Neel overcame a 5-1 deficit in the first set to win, 7-5, but Gonzalez won the first five games of the second set and went on to win the frame, 6-1, just before the match was abandoned.
Austin had overcome a 4-1 first-set deficit against Paalma to win, 7-5, but Paalma was leading the second set, 4-2, when play was halted.
The loss marks the end of the career for Gavrilovska and Hristov. A&M's other two seniors, Bhosale and Pierson, will compete in the NCAA singles and doubles championships beginning May 24 in Athens.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Aggie-Womens-Tennis/143874782434654
POSTMATCH QUOTES:
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH MARK WEAVER
On today's match...
"I was very pleased with the way we approached the match. We went into this really thinking we could win this, and all credit to Florida. The doubles could have gone either way. All year we've had so many doubles points that have come down to tiebreakers, and those are the kind that can go either way; they're 50/50, and it went their way tonight.
"Although it was 4-0 on the scoreboard, there were two or three first sets that might could have gone our way. You just never know, but at the end of the day, Florida is just a very talented team, and on paper they are the best team here. I think anybody at this point can win it, but they definitely from 1-6 have six very, very good tennis players on their team and even some on their bench that are pretty darn good as well.
"It is just amazing how we turned the season around. Five or six weeks ago we were 10-10 and weren't looking too good and in jeopardy of missing the tournament, and we did a great job of taking our licks and bouncing right back. I couldn't be more proud of the girls. And for our seniors, I appreciate all they have done for our program over the years. And I think this is great for the girls who are returning. We gained a lot of experience for next year, and with that we leave on a positive note for next year."
FLORIDA HEAD COACH ROLAND THORNQVIST
On today's match...
"It was tough, a lot tougher than the 4-0 score, that is for sure. First of all doubles, we did a really good job at three doubles, playing our best tennis at the tiebreaker. We had great courage. Of the seven points we won the tiebreaker and poached four and that's all you can ask as a coach. We had courage and we went for it. I think that is how you win big meets. In singles we had to turn a couple of huge deficits in first sets around, and I think that is the dagger that really hurt Texas A&M. You can see some of their energy sort of went away in the second sets. We were able to turn three and five around after huge deficits. Overall I am really proud, we fought hard with great energy and actually played pretty well too against a very gritty and much improved Texas A&M team."
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M vs Florida
5/19/2017 at Athens, GA
(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
#1 Florida 4, #20 Texas A&M 0
Singles competition
1. #6 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. #16 Rachel Pierson (A&M) 6-0, 6-4
2. #23 Josie Kuhlman (UF) vs. #53 Rutuja Bhosale (A&M) 6-7 (3-7), 1-2, unfinished
3. #31 Ingrid Neel (UF) vs. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) 7-5, 1-6, unfinished
4. #44 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Saska Gavrilovska (A&M) 6-3, 6-0
5. Brooke Austin (UF) vs. Eva Paalma (A&M) 7-5, 2-4, unfinished
6. #59 Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. Macarena Olivares (A&M) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #11 Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (UF) def. #7 Rutuja Bhosale/Rachel Pierson (A&M) 6-2
2. Domenica Gonzalez/Eva Paalma (A&M) def. #20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) 6-3
3. #45 Josie Kuhlman/Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Saska Gavrilovska/Stefania Hristov (A&M) 7-6 (7-1)
Match Notes:
Texas A&M 18-13; National ranking #20
Florida 26-3; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,1,6)
NCAA Championship -- Round of 16
Florida advances to quarterfinals to face No. 9 Oklahoma State
Pronunciations
Rutuja Bhosale rue-too-jah BO-slay
Tina Bokhua BO-kwah
Saska Gavrilovska SAUSH-ka gav-ril-ohv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Eva Paalma A-
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Georgia Postgame: Mark Weaver, Mary Stoiana, Mia Kupres
Sunday, May 18
Michigan Postgame: Mark Weaver, Nicole Khirin, Lexington Reed
Saturday, May 17
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Daria Smetannikov
Monday, May 12
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Mia Kupres
Monday, May 12
