March 28, 2015

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 26th-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team lost a 4-0 decision in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday to No. 5 Florida at Ring Tennis Complex. South Carolina fell to 12-7 and 4-5 in the SEC with the loss while Florida remained unbeaten in the league with a 9-0 record and improved to 17-1 overall.

The Gators took the doubles point with victories on courts one and three. Atop the lineup, No. 8 Brooke Austin and Courtney Keegan defeated No. 75 Hadley Berg and Caroline Dailey first, 8-2. No. 31 Josie Kuhlman and Peggy Porter delivered the clinching victory with an 8-5 triumph at three over Elixane Lechemia and Ximena Siles Luna. At two, No. 37 Meghan Blevins and Brigit Folland of South Carolina led No. 54 Spencer Liang and Belinda Woolcock 7-6 when play stopped with the doubles point decided.

UF added to its point total in singles with No. 112 Porter finishing first with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Berg at No. 6 singles. No. 5 Austin surrendered just one game in dispatching No. 50 Lechemia, 6-0, 6-1, at the top position to give the Gators their third point, and No. 24 Morgan provided the winning point at three with a 6-4, 6-0 win against Folland.

Played was suspended on courts two, four and five once the team outcome had been decided. On two, Dailey lost the first set to No. 7 Kuhlman, 7-5, but won the second 6-2 and was headed to a third. No. 37 Keegan had a 6-3, 3-1 lead on Blevins at four, and Siles Luna lost her first set to No. 41 Woolcock in a tiebreaker, 7-4, before play stopped.

The Gamecocks are back on the road for the final time in the regular season next week facing No. 10 Vanderbilt on Friday, April 3, and No. 18 Kentucky on Sunday, April 5.

#5 Florida def. #26 South Carolina, 4-0

Singles
1. #5 Brooke Austin (UF) def. #50 Elixane Lechemia (SC), 6-0, 6-1
2. Caroline Dailey (SC) vs. #7 Josie Kuhlman (UF), 5-7, 6-2 susp.
3. #24 Brianna Morgan (UF) def. Brigit Folland (SC), 6-4, 6-0
4. Meghan Blevins (SC) vs. #37 Kourtney Keegan (UF), 3-6, 1-3 susp.
5. Ximena Siles Luna (SC) vs. #41 Belinda Woolcock (UF), 6-7(4) susp.
6. #112 Peggy Porter (UF)def. Hadley Berg (SC), 6-1, 6-1

Order of Finish: 6, 1, 3

Doubles
1. #8 Austin/Keegan (UF) def. #75 Berg/Dailey (SC), 8-2
2. #37 Blevins/Folland (SC) vs. #54 Spencer Liang/Woolcock (UF), 7-6 susp.
3. #31 Kuhlman/Porter (UF) def. Lechemia/Siles Luna (SC), 8-5

Order of Finish: 1, 3