Sunday, May 3
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1 p.m.
Florida Gators
2
vs
4
Michigan
Team huddle before the start of the Gators' second round NCAA match at Michigan
Gators season ends in NCAA second round with 4-2 loss at No. 12 Michigan
Sunday, May 3, 2026 | Women's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Florida Women's Tennis Team nearly pulled off the upset Sunday afternoon, but host and 12th-ranked Michigan had just enough juice left in its collective tank to pick up the 4-2 win. With the victory, the Wolverines advance to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, while the No. 17 Gators reflect on a successful season which saw them rise once again to national prominence.
Fans in attendance at the Varsity Tennis Complex couldn't have asked for a more competitive overall match. Florida's Brooke Black and Valery Gynina got things started at number two doubles, knocking off the 66th ranked team in the country in Reese Miller and Laura Rahnel 6-2. The remaining two matches both went to tiebreaks.
It was the first tiebreak of the season as a tandem for India Houghton and Lucie Pawlak, but they fell 7-6 (7-2) at number three. The Gators number one doubles team of Nikola Daubnerova and Xinyi Nong was 5-2 in tiebreaks entering the match. They lost 7-6 (7-4) to the nation's 30th ranked team of Jessica Bernales and Lily Jones to give the Wolverines the doubles point.
Michigan took the first singles point as Gabia Paskauskas dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision to Miller at number three. Shortly thereaver, Gynina got the Gators on the board at number two singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win over the eighth-ranked player in the country, Piper Charney.
Pawlak was bested by Bernales 6-4, 6-3 at number five to put Michigan one match away from victory, however, Florida held one-set leads in each of the remaining three matches.
At number six, Daubnerova needed a second-set tiebreak, but bested Rahnel 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Meanwhile Houghton was pushed to a third set at the top spot against Jones who entered the weekend ranked No. 24 in the nation. Black was likewise forced into a third as she and Emily Sartz-Lunde traded 6-4 scores in the first two sets.
Houghton couldn't quite solve Jones, however, falling 6-1 in the third. Black was up 3-2 in her third set when the match was called.
Despite the defeat, it was an amazing bounce-back year for the Gators. One season after missing out on the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the history of the program, Florida was back in the national spotlight boasting a top 20 ranking for most of the spring. All seven Gators on the active roster were ranked in the top 125 in the country in singles at one time or another. Heading into the weekend, Florida boasted five ranked singles players and a pair of ranked doubles teams.
Houghton and Nong are both graduating this year, but that leaves five undergraduates returning for 2026-27. A sixth, junior Scarlett Nicholson who transferred to Florida midseason, will be eligible to compete for the Gators next year.
FINAL RESULTS
Singles
1 #24 Lily Jones (MI) def. #47 India Houghton (UF) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
2 #51 Valery Gynina (UF) def. #8 Piper Charney (MI) 6-4, 6-2
3 #105 Reese Miller (MI) def. #59 Gabia Paskauskas (UF) 6-2, 6-0
4 #Brooke Black (UF) unf. #120 Emily Sartz-Lunde (MI) 6-4, 4-6, 3-2
5 Jessica Bernales (MI) def. #101 Lucie Pawlak (UF) 6-4, 6-3
6 #122 Nikola Daubnerova (UF) def. Laura Rahnel (MI) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Order of Finish. 3, 5, 2, 6, 1
Doubles
1 #30 Bernales / Jones (MI) def. #14 Xinyi Nong / Daubnerova (UF) 7-6 (7-4)
2 #43 Gynina / Black (UF) def. #66 Miller / Rahnel (MI) 6-2
3 Charney / Sartz-Lunde (MI) def. Houghton / Pawlak (UF) 7-6 (7-2)
Order of Finish 2, 3, 1
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Fans in attendance at the Varsity Tennis Complex couldn't have asked for a more competitive overall match. Florida's Brooke Black and Valery Gynina got things started at number two doubles, knocking off the 66th ranked team in the country in Reese Miller and Laura Rahnel 6-2. The remaining two matches both went to tiebreaks.
It was the first tiebreak of the season as a tandem for India Houghton and Lucie Pawlak, but they fell 7-6 (7-2) at number three. The Gators number one doubles team of Nikola Daubnerova and Xinyi Nong was 5-2 in tiebreaks entering the match. They lost 7-6 (7-4) to the nation's 30th ranked team of Jessica Bernales and Lily Jones to give the Wolverines the doubles point.
Michigan took the first singles point as Gabia Paskauskas dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision to Miller at number three. Shortly thereaver, Gynina got the Gators on the board at number two singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win over the eighth-ranked player in the country, Piper Charney.
Pawlak was bested by Bernales 6-4, 6-3 at number five to put Michigan one match away from victory, however, Florida held one-set leads in each of the remaining three matches.
At number six, Daubnerova needed a second-set tiebreak, but bested Rahnel 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Meanwhile Houghton was pushed to a third set at the top spot against Jones who entered the weekend ranked No. 24 in the nation. Black was likewise forced into a third as she and Emily Sartz-Lunde traded 6-4 scores in the first two sets.
Houghton couldn't quite solve Jones, however, falling 6-1 in the third. Black was up 3-2 in her third set when the match was called.
Despite the defeat, it was an amazing bounce-back year for the Gators. One season after missing out on the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the history of the program, Florida was back in the national spotlight boasting a top 20 ranking for most of the spring. All seven Gators on the active roster were ranked in the top 125 in the country in singles at one time or another. Heading into the weekend, Florida boasted five ranked singles players and a pair of ranked doubles teams.
Houghton and Nong are both graduating this year, but that leaves five undergraduates returning for 2026-27. A sixth, junior Scarlett Nicholson who transferred to Florida midseason, will be eligible to compete for the Gators next year.
FINAL RESULTS
Singles
1 #24 Lily Jones (MI) def. #47 India Houghton (UF) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
2 #51 Valery Gynina (UF) def. #8 Piper Charney (MI) 6-4, 6-2
3 #105 Reese Miller (MI) def. #59 Gabia Paskauskas (UF) 6-2, 6-0
4 #Brooke Black (UF) unf. #120 Emily Sartz-Lunde (MI) 6-4, 4-6, 3-2
5 Jessica Bernales (MI) def. #101 Lucie Pawlak (UF) 6-4, 6-3
6 #122 Nikola Daubnerova (UF) def. Laura Rahnel (MI) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Order of Finish. 3, 5, 2, 6, 1
Doubles
1 #30 Bernales / Jones (MI) def. #14 Xinyi Nong / Daubnerova (UF) 7-6 (7-4)
2 #43 Gynina / Black (UF) def. #66 Miller / Rahnel (MI) 6-2
3 Charney / Sartz-Lunde (MI) def. Houghton / Pawlak (UF) 7-6 (7-2)
Order of Finish 2, 3, 1
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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