Kuhlman and Liang Advance to Riviera/ITA All-American Qualifying Draw

Sunday, October 2

Malibu. CA

All Day

Florida Gators

Riviera ITA All American Championships (Prequalifying)

Josie Kuhlman marched into the qualifying draw without dropping a set.

Kuhlman and Liang Advance to Riviera/ITA All-American Qualifying Draw

Sunday, October 2, 2016 | Women's Tennis

Both Gators earned straight-set wins on Sunday.

By: Kathy Cafazzo

MALIBU, Calif. – Florida's Josie Kuhlman and Spencer Liang both capped on Sunday impressive three-match runs through prequalifying action at the 2016 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships to earn a spot in the qualifying draw.

Kuhlman and Liang each won a pair of singles matches late Saturday before earning straight-set wins on Sunday to advance to the next phase of the national championship event that moves from Pepperdine University to the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades for the remaining six days of competition.

The qualifying draw gets underway on Tue., Oct. 4, when Kuhlman and Liang are joined by teammates Anna Danilina and Kourtney Keegan in the singles draw, where they all will battle for three rounds to earn a spot in the main draw.

Liang and Danilina also team in the qualifying doubles draw aiming for enough wins to reach the main draw.

Gator Pronunciations:

Anna Danilina: ON-nah don-uh-LEE-nah
Josie Kuhlman: COOL-mun
Spencer Liang: LANG

Quoting UF Head Coach Roland Thornqvist:

"Both Josie and Spencer won tough matches in straight sets on Sunday and were really impressive. I told them after the four matches we won on Saturday night that they both have really improved. They are better offensively as well as defensively. Josie, in particular, is moving really well and is faster laterally and you can really tell in her play."

On the Line:

Main draw singles semifinalists, main draw doubles finalists and main draw consolation champions will receive automatic entry into the 2016 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, Nov. 3-6 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.

2016 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships - Prequalifying
Pepperdine University, Malibu, Calif.

UF Results Only

Sunday, October 2, 2016
Third Round (Round of 16)
Spencer Liang (UF) d. Marie Leduc (Clemson), 6-4, 6-1
(89) Josie Kuhlman (UF) d. Petra Melounva (Hawaii-Manoa), 6-3, 6-3

Saturday, Oct. 1
First Round (Round of 64)
Spencer Liang (UF) d. (85) Louise Kwong (Illinois), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
(89) Josie Kuhlman (UF) d. (93) Gabby Smith (Southern California), 6-4, 7-6 (6)

Second Round (Round of 32)
Spencer Liang (UF) d. Katie Stresnakova (Ok State), 6-2, 6-0
(89) Josie Kuhlman (UF) d. Sybille Gauvain (San Jose State), 6-2, 7-5

Follow the Action:

Updated draws and main draw daily recaps can be found at the ITA Championship Central page http://www.itatennis.com/Events/ITANationalChampionships/WomensAllAmerican.htm
FloTennis will provide live streaming of the main draw matches (four courts) at www.flotennis.com

Complete Gator Summary of the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships:

Event: Riviera All-American Championships (the first of the Collegiate Grand Slam events)
When: Oct. 1-9 (Prequalifying: Oct. 1-2, Qualifying: Oct. 4-5, Main Draw: Oct. 6-9)
Where: Prequalifying: Pepperdine University; Qualifying and Main Draw: Riviera Tennis Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Gator Singles Selections: Brooke Austin (Main Draw, withdrew), Belinda Woolcock (Main Draw), Kourtney Keegan (Qualifying/Main Draw Alternate No. 1), Anna Danilina (Qualifying), Josie Kuhlman (Prequalifying), Spencer Liang (Prequalifying)
Gator Doubles Selections: Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (Main Draw), Belinda Woolcock/Josie Kuhlman (Main Draw), Spencer Liang/Anna Danilina (Qualifying Doubles)

Join the Conversation:
Follow the event on Twitter: @ITA_Tennis
Event hashtag: #RivieraITA

Complete Schedule of Events:
PreQualifying Singles

Oct. 1: 2 rounds of singles
Oct. 2: 1 round of singles (winners advance to qualifying draw)

Qualifying Singles & Doubles: Oct. 4-5
Main Draw Singles & Doubles: Oct. 6-9

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