No. 5 South Carolina Falls to No. 12 Florida
April 7, 2018
No. 12 Florida 4, No. 5 South Carolina 2
COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 5 South Carolina women’s tennis (18-4, 10-1 SEC) dropped its first SEC match of the season on Saturday at the Carolina Tennis Center.
In a match interrupted by heavy rain showers, No. 12 Florida won four of six singles matches en route to its 4-2 victory that snapped the Gamecocks’ 13-match winning streak.
Singles were played first in an effort to avoid heavy afternoon showers, but Florida reached four team points before doubles could take place.
With the loss, the Gamecocks are now 10-1 at home this season and 10-1 in SEC play.
SINGLES
Due to forecasted afternoon rain at the Carolina Tennis Center, both teams elected to play singles first. No. 120 Megan Davies was the first off the court for the Gamecocks, earning a 6-3, 6-2 win over Peggy Porter. The win was the fifth straight for Davies, who improved to 11-3 in 2018 dual match play and 9-2 at No. 5 singles.
Florida tied the team score at 1-1 with Katie Kubicz’s 6-3, 2-6, 6-0 win over Rachel Rohrabacher on Court 6. The loss was Rohrabacher’s first in dual match play this season and snapped her 13-match streak, which dated back to Jan. 14. Rohrabacher is now 11-1 at No. 6 singles this season.
The Gators took their first lead of the match with No. 18 Anna Danilina’s win on Court 1 over No. 60 Ingrid Gamarra Martins in three sets. The loss was Gamarra Martins’ third of the dual match season and her second at No. 1 singles. She is 11-3 in the dual match campaign and now 25-7 overall.
Paige Cline helped the Gamecocks tie the score at 2-2 with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over Victoria Emma on Court 4. The win was the sixth straight for Cline, who is now 6-1 at No. 4 singles. Cline has not lost a singles match since March 1 at Mississippi State — the first SEC match of the season.
Play was postponed following Cline’s win due to heavy rain showers and slick courts. Mia Horvit and Hadley Berg were both 1-1 in their third sets when play was resumed several hours later. Both Gamecocks dropped their matches following the break, allowing Florida to secure the win.
SINGLES
1. #18 Anna Danilina (UF) def. #60 Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. #48 Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. Mia Horvit (SC) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
3. McCartney Kessler (UF) def. #31 Hadley Berg (SC) 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
4. Paige Cline (SC) def. Victoria Emma (UF) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
5. #120 Megan Davies (SC) def. Peggy Porter (UF) 6-3, 6-2
6. Katie Kubicz (UF) def. Rachel Rohrabacher (SC) 6-3, 2-6, 6-0
Order of finish
5, 6, 1, 4, 3, 2
QUOTABLE
GAMECOCK NOTABLES
- With her win in straight sets on Saturday, Megan Davies holds a five-match winning streak and is 11-3 in 2018 dual match play. The freshman is 9-2 at No. 5 singles and is 8-2 over her last 10 matches.
- Rohrabacher’s loss at No. 6 was her first loss of the dual match campaign. It snapped her 13-match winning streak, which dated back to Jan. 14, 2018 at Florida Gulf Coast University.
- Paige Cline holds a six-match winning streak in SEC play dating back to her win over Alexa Bortles at No. 7 Ole Miss on March 3.
- All 11 of Davies’ singles win this season have been in straight sets.
- The last time the Gamecocks surrendered more than one team point was at Mississippi State on March 1. South Carolina earned a 4-2 victory over the Bulldogs in that match to open SEC play.
- Davies’ singles win marked South Carolina’s first team point registered against Florida since March 26, 2016.
- Prior to this match, the last time South Carolina scored atleast two team points against Florida was April 18, 2009 when it lost, 4-2, to the Gators on the road.
- Prior to this match, the last time South Carolina had scored two team points against Florida at home was on April 13, 2002, in a 2-4 loss.
- South Carolina is now 8-3 against ranked opponents this season, including wins at No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 11 Texas, No. 35 Texas A&M, No. 36 LSU, No. 30 Tennessee, No. 8 Georgia, No. 15 Auburn and No. 48 Arkansas.
- The Gamecocks are 10-1 at home this season and 4-1 in SEC play at home.
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks will continue their five-match homestand with the last two matches of the regular season next weekend against No. 12 Vanderbilt at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and No. 28 Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Gamecocks are 13-22 all-time against Vanderbilt and lost the last two matchups with the Commodores in 2017. The Gamecocks won the last meeting between the teams, 4-3, at the Carolina Tennis Center on March 10, 2016.
For updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).
