ATHENS, Ga. – An historic season for Vanderbilt women’s tennis came to a close on Monday as the third-ranked/fourth-seeded Commodores fell 4-2 to top-ranked/seeded Florida in the Final Four of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament.
During a 2017 season for the books, Vanderbilt clinched its first Southeastern Conference regular-season crown and just its second SEC Tournament Championship. Seniors Sydney Campbell and Georgina Sellyn led the Dores through what is considered the toughest schedule in collegiate tennis (SLAM.tennis.com) en route to a 24-6 overall record. The Final Four defeat was VU’s first loss since March 18, a span of more than two months.
Vanderbilt is now 6-2 against Florida over the past three seasons.
Monday’s delayed match began with complicated doubles, as Florida’s 10th-ranked pair of Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel earned a swift 6-1 victory over No. 1 Astra Sharma and Emily Smith. The Gators clinched the one-point advantage as the squad’s No. 2 doubles team of No. 20 Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan downed Sydney Campbell and Emma Kurtz. Fernanda Contreras and Christina Rosca were tied 5-all with UF’s No. 45 Josie Kuhlman/Belina Woolcock at the clinch.
In singles the Dores strung together gusty performances by Campbell and Rosca for the team’s two points.
Playing one of the best matches in her career, No. 15 Campbell was on fire against No. 23 Kuhlman. The Franklin, Tenn. native pulled through her first set for the 5-1 lead. Kuhlman attempted to battle back but the Commodore shut out the set, 6-4. Campbell only allowed Kuhlman one additional game and clinched the Dores’ first point of the Final Four, 6-4, 6-1.
Sydney Campbell ties the Final Four match, 1-1, taking court two 6-4, 6-1! #FIGHTDORES #NCAATennis pic.twitter.com/LOBlMgybH8
 Vandy Women’s Tennis (@Vandywtennis) May 23, 2017
Freshman No. 102 Rosca played gritty tennis on court three against No. 21 Neel. Down 3-5 the Commodore from Princeton, N.J. battled back to earn the first set advantage, 7-5. In the second set, Rosca led 5-3 and broke serve for the 2-1 advantage in the match, 7-5, 6-4.
That’s a point on court three! Rosca gives VU the 2-1 advantage… 7-5, 6-4! #NCAATennis #FIGHTDORES pic.twitter.com/oJe4ALQoXN
 Vandy Women’s Tennis (@Vandywtennis) May 23, 2017
Florida earned victories on courts four, one then five to clinch its spot in the NCAA Championship.
Forcing a third set on court four, Emma Kurtz nearly pulled off the upset over No. 44 Danilina. However, her fellow freshman foe earned UF the tying point 2-all, 6-3, 4-5, 6-2.
Elsewhere, No. 4 Sharma earned a tight first set lead over No. 6 Woolcock in tiebreaker fashion, 7-6(3). However the Gator shifted gears and powered past her fellow Australian, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-0.
UF closed out the competition as two-time SEC Player of the Year Brooke Austin came in at No. 5 in the Gator lineup against reigning SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Georgina Sellyn. In her final competition as a Commodore, the Scot fell 6-2, 6-3. No. 59 Keegan led Contreras 6-0, 1-3 at the clinch.
Three Commodores will be in competition this week in the NCAA individual tournament. As the top-seeded pairing, Sharma and Smith will vie for the doubles title while three-time All-American Campbell will compete in her final NCAA singles tournament.
Doubles
- #11 Anna Danilina/Ingrid Neel (FLORIDA) def. #1 Astra Sharma/Emily Smith (VANDERBILT), 6-1
2.#20 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (FLORIDA) def. Sydney Campbell/Emma Kurtz (VANDERBILT), 6-4
3.#45 Josie Kuhlman/Belina Woolcock (FLORIDA) vs. Christina Rosca/Fernanda Contreras (VANDERBILT), 5-5, uf
Singles
- #6 Belinda Woolcock (FLORIDA) def. #4 Astra Sharma (VANDERBILT), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-0
- #15 Sydney Campbell (VANDERBILT) def. #23 Josie Kuhlman (FLORIDA), 6-4, 6-1
- #102 Christina Rosca (VANDERBILT) def. #31 Ingrid Neel (FLORIDA), 7-5, 6-4
- #44 Anna Danilina (FLORIDA) def. Emma Kurtz (VANDERBILT), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
- Brooke Austin (FLORIDA) def. Georgina Sellyn (VANDERBILT), 6-2, 6-3
- #59 Kourtney Keegan (FLORIDA) vs. Fernanda Contreras (VANDERBILT), 6-0, 1-3, uf
Doubles (1,2) Singles (2,3,4,1,5)
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