Georgia Tennis: Lady Bulldogs Fall To Gators
By Danny Bishop
Georgia won the doubles point, but Florida won four singles matches, upending the Bulldogs 4-1 Friday night at the Ring Tennis Complex.
“I thought we played outstanding doubles and really fought hard in all of our singles matches,” said head coach Jeff Wallace. “We came up just short, but I’m proud of the way our team played. Florida played great in singles. We’re looking forward to getting back out on the courts Sunday against South Carolina.”
Georgia (10-2, 3-1) won the doubles point, but Florida (10-2, 3-1) won four singles matches to give the Bulldogs their second loss of the season.
The third-ranked tandem of Kate Fuller and Silvia Garcia gave Georgia an early advantage with an 8-4 win over Florida’s Alexandra Cercone and Sofie Oyen. Fuller and Garcia improve to 12-0 this season. Shortly after, Makenzie Craft and Lilly Kimbell clinched the doubles point, beating Caroline Hitimana and Olivia Janowicz of Florida, 8-5. When the doubles point was decided, Lauren Herring and Maho Kowase trailed on court 2, but the match wasn’t completed.
In singles, Florida’s Hitimana beat Georgia’s Mia King, 6-3, 6-0 to even the match score to 1-1. Shortly after, the Gators took the lead as Craft fell to Janowicz 6-4, 6-3. Garcia, ranked 77th in the country, lost a tight 7-5, 7-5 match to 14th-ranked Oyen to give Florida a 3-1 advantage. The loss is only Garcia’s second of her career. Florida clinched the match when top-ranked Embree beat seventh-ranked Herring in a three-set 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
The remaining two matches were left unfinished. Maho Kowase, ranked 17th nationally, led 55th-ranked Alexandra Cercone 6-1, 6-7 (4), 4-2 and 120th-ranked Fuller trailed 96th-ranked Morgan 6-4, 6-7 (4), 4-0.
Georgia will continue conference play at No. 32 South Carolina on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Doubles
1. #3 Fuller/Garcia (UGA) def. Cercone/Oyen (UF), 8-4
2. Embree/Morgan (UF) vs. Herring/Kowase (UGA), 7-3
3. Kimbell/Craft (UGA) def/ Hitimana/Janowicz (UF), 8-5
Singles
1. #1 Lauren Embree (UF) def. #7 Lauren Herring (UGA), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
2. #14 Sofie Oyen (UF) def. #77 Silvia Garcia (UGA), 7-5, 7-5
3. #17 Maho Kowase (UGA) vs. #55 Alexandra Cercone (UF), 6-1, 6-7 (4), 4-2, uf
4. #96 Brianna Morgan (UF) vs. #120 Kate Fuller (UGA), 6-4, 6-7(4), 4-0, uf
5. Olivia Janowicz (UF) vs. Makenzie Craft (UGA), 6-4, 6-3
6. Caroline Hitimana (UF) def. Mia King (UGA), 6-3, 6-0