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National Champions
The Florida Gators women’s tennis team was ranked No.1 throughout the regular NCAA tennis season. They proved worthy when they won the NCAA Championship Tuesday night with their 4-1 win over Stanford.
This is Florida’s first national championship in women’s tennis since 2012, and the fourth title under head coach Roland Thornqvist.
Photo Gallery from last night's #NCAATennis Championship Match, by @TimCaseyPhoto https://t.co/FljNm1fmUq #GoGators #NCAATennis pic.twitter.com/ichRoFMea7
— Gators Women's Tennis (@GatorsWTN) May 24, 2017
How The Veterans Performed
Florida senior Kourtney Keegan started the Gators off strong. She shut out Stanford’s Emma Higuichi for a 6-0, 6-0 win. It became the first shutout in a college championship match since 1999. This gave the Gators a 2-0 lead.
Not long after that, Florida’s Belinda Woolcock extended the Gators’ lead to 3 with a 6-1,6-3 win on the No.1 court.
On Court 2, Stanford started to take charge. The Cardinal’s Melissa Lord got the Cardinals their lone win over Florida’s Josie Kuhlman, 6-4, 7-5.
Enter Freshman, Ingrid Neel
Florida’s freshman Ingrid Neel had a lot on her shoulders, especially after she lost her first set to Stanford senior Taylor Davidson. The first three games in the second set were breaks, but Neel held on 3-1. She forced a deciding third with one last break to win the second one, 6-3. This forced a deciding third set.
Neel kept fighting. She fought off two game points and went to the baseline, after she lost a point in her 5-2 lead.
However, it was Neel’s ground stroke that was the deciding point for the Gators on her second championship point opportunity.
Thornqvist was impressed with her 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win over Davidson and how it clinched the national championship for the Florida Gators.
Thornqvist said how happy he was that his seniors are leaving Florida as champions.
The Florida Gators, An Athletic Dynasty
This NCAA championship win extended the dominance shown in the Florida’s tennis program, as well as in Gator athletics in general. This is the program’s seventh NCAA title.
This win also was the first team national championship across all sports for the 2016-2017 academic year. The title also marks 37 national championships for Florida. The school now has eight consecutive years with one national title in a sport.
Not to mention, this is also the first national title for new Florida Gators athletic director, Scott Stricklin.
#WeChomp when we bring home the hardware. #NationalChamps #GoGators pic.twitter.com/Z5hainF7wq
— Gators Women's Tennis (@GatorsWTN) May 24, 2017
What’s Next?
The NCAA tennis competition isn’t over yet. Six players have been picked to play in the NCAA singles and doubles championships from May 24-29 in Athens, Georgia.
Five have been selected to the 64 player singles draw. This includes Anna Danilina, Kourtney Keegan, Josie Kuhlman, Ingrid Neel, and Belinda Woolcock.
Two Gator duos and an alternative were selected to the 32 team doubles draw. These women include Danilina with Neel, Brooke Austin with Keegan, and the No.6 Alternate of Kuhlman and Woolcock.
