02-09-2024, 09:35 AM
It's matchday!
#2 Stanford takes on #8 Florida today at 9:00am in its second top-10 matchup of the young season. For the newer women's tennis fans among you, this might not strike you as any different as playing any other good SEC team that we rarely otherwise see. But Stanford-Florida was arguably the marquee rivalry in the sport for decades, from the late 80s through the Gibbs-Ahn-Burdette era about a decade ago. Stanford's 20 NCAA team titles lead the way, but Florida's 7 are next-best. We used to have an annual non-conference matchup with them, but that fell by the wayside a ways back, and it's a shame.
Here's a taste of that rivalry: in 1988, we beat them in the NCAA title match. in 1990, we did it again. In 1996, they beat us in the title match, but we returned the favor in 1997. We did it again in 1999 and 2002, and while they beat us in the 2003 national title match, that kicked off our run of three straight titles (albeit none against Florida). We beat them in the 2010 title match. They beat us in 2011 and 2017. And that's just head-to-head matchups in the actual NCAA championship match!
Florida is no longer the preeminent program in the East, having been surpassed by Georgia and now by North Carolina for the time being (though it still boggles my mind that UNC has won just one NCAA title--last year's), but neither are they too far off the pace, and who knows whether UNC or UGA or Texas will have the staying power that Florida showed over decades. This will be an excellent and difficult match.
Anyway, so far this year the #8 Gators are 4-1, with their lone loss coming to #5 Michigan in Ann Arbor. Florida dropped a very close doubles point, and then got double-bageled on Court 4 to go down 2-0. Florida got into it with a straight sets win from Gailis on Court 2, but Michigan made it 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Briggs on Court 1, and then Michigan clinched on Court 3, winning 6-1 in the third set over De Oliveira. When the match was suspended, Courts 5 and 6 were in third sets, with Lopez trailing 1-2 and Rowinska about to lose, down 1-5.
Interestingly, Florida hasn't shut out anyone yet this season. They beat Baylor 6-1 to open the season, with Briggs losing badly on Court 2. They beat FIU 4-2 at Kickoff Weekend, with de Oliveira and Briggs losing badly on Courts 1 and 2. They beat San Diego 4-3 in what is their best win of the young season, winning a very close doubles point and then they got wins from Briggs over De Las Heras on 1 (3 sets, but 6-0 in the third), Gailis over Mack on 2 (6-3, 7-6), and Dudeney over Desiatnikov on 4 (6-3, 6-4). They took losses on Court 3 (Goldsmith led UF's Dahlstrom 5-2 when she retired due to injury), 5 (USD's McBride beat Lopez 7-6, 6-1), and 6 (USD's Evans beat Rowinska 7-5, 6-2). They then beat FSU 4-2, winning doubles handily but dropping Courts 2 (de Oliveira losing 7-5, 6-0) and 6 (Williams losing 6-3, 6-3).
The lineup has not been consistent, which can happen in the early season. The top three seem to be Briggs, Gailis, and de Oliveira in some order, with Dudeney and Dahlstrom next in some order, and then the outstanding freshman Qavia Lopez on Court 6 in an ideal world, with then either Rowinska or Williams next up. But they haven't played a match with that top 6 yet, so we'll see how they line up today.
Ranked players are #44 Emily de Oliveira, #67 Carly Briggs, and #70 Rachel Gailis. But in the preseason rankings, Sara Dahlstrom was #13, Briggs was #34, Dudeney was #77, and Gailis was #92, with Lopez as the #7 newcomer. So, if healthy, they'll have six players in their lineup who are worthy of being ranked, just like we will. It'll be a tough one, but I'd give us the edge. Without knowing the singles matchups, it's hard to make predictions, but we should win this one.
Live stats: https://www.ioncourt.com/leagues/2024-it...am-indoors
Live video: https://web.track.tennis/index.html#/@8e...Jc8_jxs00c
#2 Stanford takes on #8 Florida today at 9:00am in its second top-10 matchup of the young season. For the newer women's tennis fans among you, this might not strike you as any different as playing any other good SEC team that we rarely otherwise see. But Stanford-Florida was arguably the marquee rivalry in the sport for decades, from the late 80s through the Gibbs-Ahn-Burdette era about a decade ago. Stanford's 20 NCAA team titles lead the way, but Florida's 7 are next-best. We used to have an annual non-conference matchup with them, but that fell by the wayside a ways back, and it's a shame.
Here's a taste of that rivalry: in 1988, we beat them in the NCAA title match. in 1990, we did it again. In 1996, they beat us in the title match, but we returned the favor in 1997. We did it again in 1999 and 2002, and while they beat us in the 2003 national title match, that kicked off our run of three straight titles (albeit none against Florida). We beat them in the 2010 title match. They beat us in 2011 and 2017. And that's just head-to-head matchups in the actual NCAA championship match!
Florida is no longer the preeminent program in the East, having been surpassed by Georgia and now by North Carolina for the time being (though it still boggles my mind that UNC has won just one NCAA title--last year's), but neither are they too far off the pace, and who knows whether UNC or UGA or Texas will have the staying power that Florida showed over decades. This will be an excellent and difficult match.
Anyway, so far this year the #8 Gators are 4-1, with their lone loss coming to #5 Michigan in Ann Arbor. Florida dropped a very close doubles point, and then got double-bageled on Court 4 to go down 2-0. Florida got into it with a straight sets win from Gailis on Court 2, but Michigan made it 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Briggs on Court 1, and then Michigan clinched on Court 3, winning 6-1 in the third set over De Oliveira. When the match was suspended, Courts 5 and 6 were in third sets, with Lopez trailing 1-2 and Rowinska about to lose, down 1-5.
Interestingly, Florida hasn't shut out anyone yet this season. They beat Baylor 6-1 to open the season, with Briggs losing badly on Court 2. They beat FIU 4-2 at Kickoff Weekend, with de Oliveira and Briggs losing badly on Courts 1 and 2. They beat San Diego 4-3 in what is their best win of the young season, winning a very close doubles point and then they got wins from Briggs over De Las Heras on 1 (3 sets, but 6-0 in the third), Gailis over Mack on 2 (6-3, 7-6), and Dudeney over Desiatnikov on 4 (6-3, 6-4). They took losses on Court 3 (Goldsmith led UF's Dahlstrom 5-2 when she retired due to injury), 5 (USD's McBride beat Lopez 7-6, 6-1), and 6 (USD's Evans beat Rowinska 7-5, 6-2). They then beat FSU 4-2, winning doubles handily but dropping Courts 2 (de Oliveira losing 7-5, 6-0) and 6 (Williams losing 6-3, 6-3).
The lineup has not been consistent, which can happen in the early season. The top three seem to be Briggs, Gailis, and de Oliveira in some order, with Dudeney and Dahlstrom next in some order, and then the outstanding freshman Qavia Lopez on Court 6 in an ideal world, with then either Rowinska or Williams next up. But they haven't played a match with that top 6 yet, so we'll see how they line up today.
Ranked players are #44 Emily de Oliveira, #67 Carly Briggs, and #70 Rachel Gailis. But in the preseason rankings, Sara Dahlstrom was #13, Briggs was #34, Dudeney was #77, and Gailis was #92, with Lopez as the #7 newcomer. So, if healthy, they'll have six players in their lineup who are worthy of being ranked, just like we will. It'll be a tough one, but I'd give us the edge. Without knowing the singles matchups, it's hard to make predictions, but we should win this one.
Live stats: https://www.ioncourt.com/leagues/2024-it...am-indoors
Live video: https://web.track.tennis/index.html#/@8e...Jc8_jxs00c