It all came down to freshman Lucie Pawlak to bring home the victory. She had won the first set against Oklahoma’s Salakthip Ounmuang 6-4, but fell short in the second, leaving the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex sitting in uncertainty.
At 4-4 in the third set, the crowd’s uncertainty showed in its silence, with the ball hitting the racket being the only audible sound. But soon, the silence broke, and the stands erupted in cheers as Pawlak secured the winning point. Her teammates ran to congratulate her as she finished Ounmuang 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and gave the Gators a ranked win.
“I just told her ‘I need you to believe in yourself just as much as I believe in you,’” said associate head coach Axel Damiens. “And she did, I think she'll remember this one for the rest of her life.”
Florida (6-2) defeated No. 11 Oklahoma (10-4) in a close 4-3 home victory Saturday afternoon despite getting a slow start in doubles.
Florida was fresh off a 4-0 victory over Arkansas on Thursday, securing its first conference win. They were looking to extend their winning streak, and they did just that against a top 15 team in the country.
In doubles, the Gators didn’t let the Sooners off easy. The at-home crowd was buzzing with excitement, producing the loudest cheers the Alfred A. Ring Complex has seen this season.
At the forefront of the action, the No. 23 pair of Xinyi Nong and Nikola Daubnerova battled a true challenge against the No.1 doubles team in the nation, Gloriana Nahum and Roisin Gilheany.
The Sooners were winning the match 2-0, but in true Gator fashion, Florida decided it wouldn't back down. Nong and Daubnerova took control, winning four sets. But ultimately, the Gators fell 6-4 to the Sooners, despite the comeback.
The doubles team of Valery Gynina and Brooke Black suffered their first loss as a pair, falling 6-4 to No. 44 duo Edda Mamedova and Evialina Laskevich. The Gators put up a strong fight, equalizing the match at one point, but struggled near the end to secure the victory.
After some uncharacteristic losses, Oklahoma took the doubles point, leaving Florida without the leading advantage they usually hold.
But Florida made up for it in singles. Singles play delivered the closest matches of the season, causing spectators to struggle to keep their eyes on one court, with every match taking on a personality of its own.
Black’s singles match was a breeze for the freshman. She went 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 against Oklahoma's Chloé Noël, who towers over Black at 5-foot-11. Florida’s India Houghton followed with another win over Julia Garcia Ruiz, 7-5, 6-2.
On court six, Nong defeated Oklahoma’s Nahum 7-6, 6-3. The Gator swept in the first set tiebreaker and carried over the momentum to the second set, securing the victory.
No. 23 Gabia Paskauskas fell to No. 44 Mamedova in a nail-biting match. The sophomore Gator almost secured the win in the first set in a tie-break. But Paskauskas was ultimately defeated 7-6, 7-5 by Mamedova.
The Gators tied the Sooners at 3-3, and the pressure was placed on court five.
“I told Lucie in that last changeover, ‘Man, I would give a lot of money to be in your shoes right now, just competing,’” Damiens said.
Pawlak delivered.
The freshman said she has struggled with her serve for the past three weeks, but on Saturday, everything fell into place at the right time.
“I didn't think I could do that, so it's incredible,” Pawlak said.
The close win against a top team gives Florida momentum as it looks toward more tough conference opponents ahead.
The Gators are on the road to Baton Rouge next to face Louisiana State on Thursday. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
Contact Sofia Alamo at salamo@alligator.org. Follow her on X @alamosofiaa.
Sofia Alamo is a Sports Journalism freshman at UF and the university’s Women’s Tennis beat reporter. Her favorite sports are soccer and tennis, and she aspires to be a sports broadcaster in the future.
