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The fourth-ranked University of Florida women’s tennis team opened its Southeastern Conference schedule with a 6-1 win against Missouri at the Green Tennis Center on Friday evening.
The Gators (7-1, 1-0 SEC) secured the doubles point to begin the match and then captured singles victories on courts one, two, three, five and six to earn their 37th consecutive conference win.
With only four courts inside the Green Tennis Center, courts one through four began action and Florida took charge early.
Senior Lauren Embree (Marco Island, Fla.) won her 24th straight singles dual match with a 6-2, 6-1 decision against Cierra Gaytan-Leach. The win was Embree’s 102nd on the court after she had posted her 104th on the doubles court in the clinching match and moved into a tie with Traci Green and Zerene Reyes for 13th in UF history with a combined 206 wins. Embree also improved her singles record to 30-0 in SEC regular-season dual matches.
Junior Sofie Oyen (Belgium) earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Rachel Stuhlmann at the number two position for her 20th-victory of the year.
Junior Alexandra Cercone (Seminole, Fla.) was the third Gator off the court and collected the 80th singles win of her career with the 6-2, 6-3 victory over Elisha Gabb and secured the dual match victory in the first-ever meeting between the Gators and Tigers (6-2, 0-1 SEC).
Missouri avoided the shutout as Maria Christensen knocked off freshman Brianna Morgan (Beverly Hills, Calif.), 6-2, 6-4.
Freshman Danielle Collins (St. Petersburg, Fla.) kept the success rolling for Florida with a 6-1, 6-1 mark against Alex Clark on court five, before senior Caroline Hitimana (Belgium) earned a 6-4, 6-2 win against Madison Rhyner for the 65th singles win of her career as well as her 27th consecutive dual match singles victory in improving to 40-4 in career dual match singles action.
On the doubles court, Collins and Olivia Janowicz (Palm Bay, Fla.) defeated Maria Christensen and Rachel Stuhlmann, 8-5 for the first individual win of the event, before Embree and Oyen downed Ciera Gaytan-Leach and Elisha Gabb, 8-5 to clinch the doubles point. The doubles win was the 50th of Janowicz’s career.
Florida returns to action on Sunday, when the Gators travel to College Station, Texas, to play sixth-ranked Texas A&M at the Mitchell Tennis Center at 1 p.m. ET.
No. 4 Florida at No. 71 Missouri
Green Tennis Center
Columbia, Mo.
Friday, March 01, 201
Final Score: Florida d. Missouri, 6-1
Doubles (order of finish: 2, 1*)
1. Lauren Embree/Sofie Oyen (15), UF d. Ciera Gaytan-Leach/Elisha Gabb, Missouri, 8-5*
2. Danielle Collins/Olivia Janowicz, UF d. Maria Christensen/Rachel Stuhlmann, Missouri, 8-5
3. Alexandra Cercone/Brianna Morgan, UF vs. Alex Clark/Madison Rhyner, Missouri, 6-6 DNF
Singles (order of finish: 1, 2, 3*, 4, 5, 6)
1. Lauren Embree (1), UF d. Cierra Gaytan-Leach (107), Missouri, 6-2, 6-1
2. Sofie Oyen (11), UF d. Rachel Stuhlmann, Missouri, 6-2, 6-2
3. Alexandra Cercone (53), UF d. Elisha Gabb, Missouri, 6-2, 6-3*
4. Maria Christensen, Missouri d. Brianna Morgan (114), UF, 6-2, 6-4
5. Danielle Collins (76), UF d. Alex Clark, Missouri, 6-1, 6-1
6. Carolina Hitimana, UF d. Madison Rhyner, Missouri, 6-4, 6-2
Records: Florida 7-1, 1-0 SEC; Missouri, 6-2, 0-1 SEC
For all of the latest information on Florida women’s tennis:
Official Website: http://www.gatorzone.com/tennis/women/
Twitter: @GatorZoneTennis and @GatorZoneNews
