Florida’s dominant win over South Carolina on Saturday served as a preview of sorts, as UF prepares for a slate of ten Southeastern Conference opponents before beginning the SEC tournament in April.
The No. 2 Gators (11-2, 3-0 SEC) swept the No. 35 Gamecocks (10-4, 1-2) 4-0 for their third consecutive conference win and second victory in a March brimming with SEC foes.
The Gators began the day with a back-and-forth doubles battle before ending the match with three singles victories in straight sets.
Florida’s Alexandra Cercone and Brianna Morgan won the first doubles match 8-4 before Sofie Oyen and Belinda Woolcock lost 8-2 on court one. Olivia Janowicz and Kourtney Keegan won the tiebreaker and captured the doubles point with an 8-6 victory to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.
Keegan’s win earned the freshman her 25th doubles match victory of the season and set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon.
“It was outstanding doubles today against one of the better doubles teams in our league,” coach Roland Thornqvist said.
The Gators wasted no time in singles play and quickly put the match out of reach.
Cercone and Oyen won in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 and 7-5, 6-2 respectively, and Brianna Morgan won 6-2, 6-4 to clinch her second match in as many games.
“We were steady in singles,” Thornqvist said. “We made it physical and we’re tough to beat when we’re able to play our style.”
The Gators will head to Knoxville, Tenn., on Friday to play the Volunteers in the next of their remaining four SEC road trip matches.
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