When Sunday’s championship match in the Southeastern Conference tournament was tied, senior Marrit Boonstra came through with a 6-2, 7-5 win to put No. 1 seed UF up 2-1 over No. 3 seed Tennessee.
Once the lead was regained in singles, the Gators never looked back. After three seasons of losing in the championship match, the three-year drought was over with a 4-1 win over the Volunteers in Athens, Ga.
Boonstra, the senior leader, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for her role in Florida’s 16th tournament championship in school history.
No. 75 Boonstra’s doubles partner No. 7 freshman Allie Will provided the set-up win for Florida with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over No. 58 Maria Sorbello.
The clinching win came from freshman Caroline Hitimana who defeated Kata Szekely 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
“It never gets old,” UF women’s coach Roland Thornqvist said. “You can’t wish your way to a championship. We knew we had to play at a very high level and be ready to play.”
Boonstra knows all too well that “you can’t wish your way to a championship.” Florida’s past three conference tournaments have ended with losses to Georgia.
This year, the Bulldogs were not a concern when they were upset by South Carolina. On Saturday, the tournament MVP was one of four Gators to win in straight sets against the Gamecocks.
Even with the three singles victories and a doubles win on Friday against LSU, Boonstra did not see the award coming.
“I didn’t expect it,” Boonstra said. “I think I played very well this tournament. I was focused and ready to play this week.”
Things did not go as well for the No. 6 men’s tennis team where it lost 4-0 to the No. 3 Volunteers in the SEC championship match.
Florida was coming off three recent victories in which it won the doubles point including a 4-1 win over No. 6 seed Auburn on Saturday, but No. 1 seed Tennessee clinched the victory in the championship match before the No. 2 seed Gators could get on the board.
The Gators have managed to come from behind and win four singles matches in Lexington, Ky. after losing the doubles point this season, but Sunday they fell short.
Sophomore Nassim Slilam was the first to fall in singles losing 6-3, 6-1 to Matteo Fago.
To clinch the victory, Tennessee’s top two singles players avenged their losses from its April 9 meeting against UF in Gainesville.
No. 1 John-Patrick Smith defeated No. 5 junior Alexandre Lacroix 6-2, 6-1 to put the Volunteers one win away from winning the tournament.
No. 37 Boris Conkic defeated No. 113 sophomore Joey Burkhardt 6-2, 6-0 to win the championship for Tennessee.
Both Florida tennis teams will find out who their NCAA Regionals opponents will be on May 4.
