Saturday, May 14
Gainesville, FL
3:00 PM
Florida Gators
4
vs
0
Syracuse
Junior Kourtney Keegan won at No. 4 singles in straight sets for the second straight day at the NCAA Championships.
Gators Strength in Numbers Runs Six Courts Deep
Saturday, May 14, 2016 | Women's Tennis, Chris Harry
Wins on Courts 4-6 carry No. 1 UF for second straight day.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Once again, Coach Roland Thornqvist said, the depth of his Florida team took over a match.
In Saturday's case (much like Friday's at the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship), the No. 1-ranked Gators made quick and easy work of an opponent they were supposed to overpower and did so thanks to some deadly efficient play at the bottom half of their singles lineup.
"Look at the scores," Thornqvist said, ticking off the tallies of the completed singles matches in UF's 4-0 shutout of No. 25 Syracuse at Linder Stadium.
After the Gators claimed the doubles point, Anna Danilina waxed Dina Hegab 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6, then Josie Kuhlman ousted Libi Mesh 6-1, 6-2 on Court 5, with Kourtney Keegan providing the match-clinching fourth point — and berth to the NCAA Round of 16, starting Thursday at Tulsa, Okla. — with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of Maria Tritou at No. 4.
In Friday's opening round, Keegan (at 4), Danilina (at 5) and Spencer Liang (at 6) obliterated South Carolina State without losing a game — three 6-0, 6-0 victories — giving their teammates on Courts 1, 2 and 3 an early day off.
Saturday was rinse, repeat.
"It just gives us a lot more confidence knowing we have the ability to win and that we are the better player on each court," Keegan said.
"It's something for this team, especially this year, that has been really important," Kuhlman said. "We've talked about it all year, how all [eight] of us can play at any given time. Just knowing and trusting in your teammates, all of us believing in each other, it's really cool to see that. We know, every spot, we can win."
With the sweep, the Gators improved to 52-8 at Nos. 4-6 singles on the season. This is not to suggest, not at all, the lineup is bottom heavy. The Gators are 45-10 at Nos. 1-3, but it's worth noting that after a three-week layoff since capturing the Southeastern Conference Tournament neither of UF's top three — fourth-ranked Brooke Austin at Court 1, 11th-ranked Belinda Woodcock on Court 2 and Brianna Morgan on Court 3 — finished a match during the two-day home court regional.
It's also worth noting that Austin and Woolcock had won the first set but were trailing in the second set when the match went final, both victimized by some unforced errors and some aggressive hitting by the Orange. Morgan, seemingly on her way to a straight-set win before her match was suspended, had some miscues too.
UF (23-2), winner of 18 straight, next takes the court it'll be in Oklahoma against No. 15 Stanford (16-5), which handed the Gators one of its two losses this season, a 4-3 setback on the road on Feb. 28. Some of the unforced errors the likes of which showed up against the Orange (15-10) will mean a lot more in a match against the always-powerful, often-UF-nemesis Cardinal.
Thornqvist said he didn't talk a lot about the need to be more precise this weekend to stay sharp for what lies ahead in Tulsa, but he may not have had to. When the Florida coach walked into the locker room after Saturday's match, his players — especially the ones at the top of the lineup — wore some long faces.
"I wanted to go in and make a point that we could play better," Thornqvist said.
Again, he didn't have to.
Every team that reaches the round of 16 is good, so now that vaunted Florida depth really needs to show up.
Preferably on all six courts.
"Obviously, coming back from three weeks of [just] practice, it's a little difficult to come back and play your best right away," Keegan said. "We want to be playing our best at the end of the tournament and this was just one of the stopping stones to reach our goal. If we continue to build off how we played today and continue to practice hard this week, we'll be where we need to be."
In Saturday's case (much like Friday's at the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship), the No. 1-ranked Gators made quick and easy work of an opponent they were supposed to overpower and did so thanks to some deadly efficient play at the bottom half of their singles lineup.
"Look at the scores," Thornqvist said, ticking off the tallies of the completed singles matches in UF's 4-0 shutout of No. 25 Syracuse at Linder Stadium.
After the Gators claimed the doubles point, Anna Danilina waxed Dina Hegab 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6, then Josie Kuhlman ousted Libi Mesh 6-1, 6-2 on Court 5, with Kourtney Keegan providing the match-clinching fourth point — and berth to the NCAA Round of 16, starting Thursday at Tulsa, Okla. — with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of Maria Tritou at No. 4.
In Friday's opening round, Keegan (at 4), Danilina (at 5) and Spencer Liang (at 6) obliterated South Carolina State without losing a game — three 6-0, 6-0 victories — giving their teammates on Courts 1, 2 and 3 an early day off.
Saturday was rinse, repeat.
"It just gives us a lot more confidence knowing we have the ability to win and that we are the better player on each court," Keegan said.
"It's something for this team, especially this year, that has been really important," Kuhlman said. "We've talked about it all year, how all [eight] of us can play at any given time. Just knowing and trusting in your teammates, all of us believing in each other, it's really cool to see that. We know, every spot, we can win."
With the sweep, the Gators improved to 52-8 at Nos. 4-6 singles on the season. This is not to suggest, not at all, the lineup is bottom heavy. The Gators are 45-10 at Nos. 1-3, but it's worth noting that after a three-week layoff since capturing the Southeastern Conference Tournament neither of UF's top three — fourth-ranked Brooke Austin at Court 1, 11th-ranked Belinda Woodcock on Court 2 and Brianna Morgan on Court 3 — finished a match during the two-day home court regional.
It's also worth noting that Austin and Woolcock had won the first set but were trailing in the second set when the match went final, both victimized by some unforced errors and some aggressive hitting by the Orange. Morgan, seemingly on her way to a straight-set win before her match was suspended, had some miscues too.
UF (23-2), winner of 18 straight, next takes the court it'll be in Oklahoma against No. 15 Stanford (16-5), which handed the Gators one of its two losses this season, a 4-3 setback on the road on Feb. 28. Some of the unforced errors the likes of which showed up against the Orange (15-10) will mean a lot more in a match against the always-powerful, often-UF-nemesis Cardinal.
Thornqvist said he didn't talk a lot about the need to be more precise this weekend to stay sharp for what lies ahead in Tulsa, but he may not have had to. When the Florida coach walked into the locker room after Saturday's match, his players — especially the ones at the top of the lineup — wore some long faces.
"I wanted to go in and make a point that we could play better," Thornqvist said.
Again, he didn't have to.
Every team that reaches the round of 16 is good, so now that vaunted Florida depth really needs to show up.
Preferably on all six courts.
"Obviously, coming back from three weeks of [just] practice, it's a little difficult to come back and play your best right away," Keegan said. "We want to be playing our best at the end of the tournament and this was just one of the stopping stones to reach our goal. If we continue to build off how we played today and continue to practice hard this week, we'll be where we need to be."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Billy Napier Postgame Press Conference 10-11-25
Sunday, October 12
Myles Graham & DJ Lagway Postgame Press Conference 10-11-25
Saturday, October 11
Addy Hess 10-10-2025
Saturday, October 11
Sophia Sindelar 10-10-2025
Friday, October 10
