No. 20 Clemson Falls to No. 3 Florida on the Road Sunday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Facing its second opponent ranked in the top three in the nation in its first four contests to open 2016, the Clemson women’s tennis team could not avoid the sweep by No. 3 Florida, falling 7-0 on Sunday afternoon in Gainesville, Fla. The Gators’ high-powered lineup featured six nationally ranked singles players and four ranked doubles teams. The Tigers dropped to 2-2 with the loss, with both losses coming on the road to top-three nationally-ranked teams, while Florida improved to 5-0 with the win.

The Gators’ No. 2 doubles team of Josie Kulhman and Belinda Woolcock, ranked 14^th nationally, started out hot and didn’t let up, defeating Ally Miller-Krasilnikov and Tristen Dewar 6-2 on Court 2. At No. 1 doubles, Ayan Broomfield and Fernanda Navarro held their own against 16^th-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan, but ultimately fell 7-5, giving Florida the team doubles point. The Tigers’ Joana Eidukonyte and Daniela Ruiz were with the nation’s 22^nd-ranked duo of Brianna Morgan and Anna Danilina, 5-5 on Court 3, when play was halted.

In singles play, Florida earned victories at No. 6, 5 and 1 singles, in that order, to clinch the team victory, while play continued at No. 2, 3 and 4. Navarro, after losing the first set 6-4 to 35^th-ranked Keegan, forced a tiebreak in the second set before falling, 7-6(1). Broomfield, who is currently unranked, played well against the nation’s fourth-ranked singles player, Woolcock, but ultimately fell, 6-4, 6-4.

The Tigers return to action with two matches next weekend. The team travels to Columbia to face T-#29 South Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 20, before hosting Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 21. Admission is free to all regular season home matches.

#20 Clemson 0, #3 Florida 7

SINGLES1. #19 Brooke Austin (UF) def. #11 Joana Eidukonyte (CU), 6-0, 6-22. #4 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. Ayan Broomfield (CU), 6-4, 6-43. #116 Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. Tristen Dewar (CU), 6-3, 6-14. #35 Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. #75 Fernanda Navarro (CU), 6-2, 7-6(1)5. T-#124 Brianna Morgan (UF) def. Ally Miller-Krasilnikov (CU), 6-0, 6-16. #73 Anna Danilina (UF) def. Daniela Ruiz (CU), 6-1, 6-0Order of finish: 6,5,1,3,4,2

DOUBLES1. #16 Austin/Keegan (UF) def. Broomfield/Navarro (CU), 7-52. #14 Kuhlman/Woolcock (UF) def. Dewar/Miller-Krasilnikov (CU), 6-23. Eidukonyte/Ruiz (CU) vs. #22 Danilina/Morgan (UF) 5-5, DNFOrder of finish: 2,1