Florida freshman Qavia Lopez has been nothing less than a revelation this season.
The No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class has been on an absolute tear lately, and that continued on Sunday.
The No. 109-ranked Lopez was moved up to Court 3 as there were multiple changes in UF’s singles lineup.
However, she was ready for the task, as she dispatched Missouri senior Gabriela Martinez 6-0, 6-4.
Lopez’s victory earned the No. 12 Gators (10-7, 5-2 SEC) the deciding point in their 4-0 victory over Missouri (4-15, 0-7 SEC).
The win was the Gators fifth-straight victory, and it came in dominant fashion.
In doubles, the Gators earned their fourth-straight victory, as Florida head coach Roland Thornqvist’s adjusted lineup continues to be effective.
The match on Court 3 was a breeze for Florida’s pair of sophomore Rachel Gailis and junior Bente Spee, who dispatched Mizzou’s team of sophomore Andrea Artimedi and junior Sophia McLellan 6-1.
The remaining two doubles matches were far more competitive, but the Gators ultimately won the doubles point on Court 1.
The pair of junior Alicia Dudeney and freshman Malwina Rowinska bested Mizzou’s No. 53 pair of junior Inah Canete and senior Mae Canete 6-4.
It was Dudeney and Rowinska’s first win against a ranked team, which improved the duo to 3-0 on the season.
Florida continued their momentum heading into singles play, where they quickly picked up the three points needed to win the overall match.
Rowinska earned Florida’s second point on Court 4, where she overwhelmed Missouri senior Roma Cardenas Miska to win in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0.
Then, No. 15 Gailis continued her red-hot month with yet another ranked victory, this time over Missouri's No. 117 M. Canete on Court 1.
Gailis took the match 6-2, 6-2, winning her team-high seventh SEC singles match of the season while continuing her six-match win streak.
Lopez then clinched the win for the Gators in the aforementioned match on Court 3.
The win moved Lopez to 10-2 overall on the season, and also improved her SEC singles record to 6-1.
With the quick finish, a number of matches did not have the chance to finish.
The Court 2 doubles match between Florida’s pair of graduate student Carly Briggs and Lopez and Mizzou’s team of seniors Cardenas Rifka and Martinez did not conclude, with the Gator duo leading 6-5 at the time of finish.
Briggs and Lopez remain 3-0 on the season as a pair.
Meanwhile in singles, the Court 2 match between Florida’s No. 84 Briggs and Missouri’s I. Canete ended in the second set, with the Tiger junior taking the first set.
On Court 5, the match between Florida’s Spee and Missouri’s Artimedi ended in the second set, with Artimedi one game away from securing the win.
Florida will look to extend its win streak as they head home to host Mississippi State at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
