UF freshman Nikola Daubnerova returns a ball during doubles play Saturday against Florida International University at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex. Her partner was senior Emily De Oliveira. [Ella Thompson/WRUF]

Tough Showing For Florida In Athens: Gators Swept Twice in Three Days

Following its 4-0 loss against South Carolina on Friday, Florida stayed on the road to face No. 2 Georgia with the hopes of turning around a recent backslide and grabbing its first conference win.

However, things didn’t go as planned for the Gators and it was the Bulldogs who came out on top with a 4-0 sweep Sunday.

Doubles

The trouble started early for Florida (3-5, 0-3 SEC) when, due to an injury to junior Rachel Gailis, it only sent out two doubles pairings that gave Georgia (10-1, 3-0) an early advantage.

Florida seniors Alicia DudeneyBentee Spee couldn’t get anything going against seniors Dasha VidmanovaMell Reasco, the No. 25 ranked doubles pair in the nation, to fall 6-1 and the Bulldogs clinched the doubles point.

UF freshmen Nikola DaubnerovaTalia Neilson-Gatenby trailed senior Guillermina Grant-junior Anastasiia Lopata, but went unfinished as Georgia took a 1-0 lead.

Singles

With Gailis sitting out of singles play and nobody to face junior Sofia Rojas on court six, Georgia immediately took a 2-0 lead.

Neilson-Gatenby had trouble conjuring any momentum against Reasco on court three to fall in straight sets to the Ecuadorian 6-3, 6-0, giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 advantage.

Georgia clinched the 4-0 sweep on court five, where Oliveras fought against Grant, but came up short when the UF freshman was broken in each set and couldn’t bounce back to lose 6-3, 6-4.

https://twitter.com/UGAWomensTennis/status/1896287697452576951

Dudeney was unable to conclude her match with No. 1 Vidmanova in set two after losing the first set 6-4.

Daubnerova went unfinished with Lopata on court two.

Spee won the first set against Mert, but went unfinished because Georgia had already cliniched the match.

Up Next

Florida will look to turn its luck around and grab its first conference win of the spring Friday when it hosts No. 11 Texas at 5 p.m.

Georgia looks to increase its win streak, now at seven, when it visits Kentucky at 1 p.m. Friday.

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