GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 13 Gators finished out regular season SEC play with an elite performance over the No. 18 Gamecocks. Florida defeated South Carolina 4-2 to defend its home courts on Senior Day.
Florida’s victory was put into motion after the Gators claimed an early 1-0 advantage in doubles play. Doubles courts two and three defeated the Gamecocks in a similar fashion, both with a final score of 6-2. The first to do it was Carly Briggs and Qavia Lopez over South Carolina’s Shahar Biran and Elise Mills.
Rachel Gailis and Bente Spee shortly followed on court three, defeating Olympe Lancelot and Misa Malkin. The doubles contest was a back and forth battle in the beginning but after being tied up 2-2, Spee and Gailis never lost a game again to close out 6-2.
Florida’s only ranked doubles pair, No. 45 Alicia Dudeney and Malwina Rowinska were left unfinished on court one. The score stood at 4-4 when the Gators clinched the team doubles point. Florida has now claimed the doubles point over its opponent for nine consecutive matchups.
No. 80 Carly Briggs extended Florida’s lead in singles after shutting out Shahar Biran on court three. Briggs defeated Biran 6-0, 6-0 on her senior day showing her dominance in Gainesville once more.
The 2-0 advantage was tested after Florida’s No. 65 Sara Dahlstrom was defeated on court two. Dahlstrom fell 6-2, 6-2 seeing a tough opponent in No. 16 Sarah Hamner. Dahlstrom fought hard on her senior day and gave it her all, but was unable to get past the Gamecocks.
No. 11 Rachel Gailis brought Florida back to a two-point advantage (3-1), after recording her highest career win over No. 7 Ayana Akli. Gailis was hot from the start with several winners as she pushed Akli all over court one. Gailis never trailed in the first set and closed out at 6-2. South Carolina’s Akli took her first lead of the match in the second at 3-2 before Gailis tied it up at 3-3. From there it was a back and forth battle until Gailis pulled ahead in the final games of the match to take the second set 6-4. Gailis’ 6-2, 6-4 win over the No. 7 ranked collegiate player in the nation just solidified her ability to compete and clinch vital matches for the Gators.
With a 3-1 advantage and three…
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