Gators move to semis with 4-0 rout of Ole Miss

COLUMBIA, S.C. - In their 2015 SEC Tournament debut, the No. 3-ranked No.1-seeded Florida Gators eased past the No. 8 seed, No. 22 Ole Miss, 4-0, and advanced to the semifinal round of the conference tournament on Friday morning at the Carolina Tennis Center.

In the regular season meeting between the Gators and the Rebels, all three doubles matches went into a tiebreaker, with Florida eventually winning the point. In today's match, UF showed vast improvement in their doubles performance since the March 20 meeting. No. 12-ranked Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan defeated Ole Miss' top tandem, Julia Jones and Natalie Suk, 8-2. Spencer Liang and Peggy Porter improved to 3-0 versus SEC duos with an 8-3 doubles-clinching win at No. 3.

No. 5-ranked rookie Austin avenged her regular season loss to Ole Miss' No. 11 Julia Jones and took down the Rebels' No. 1 singles player in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, to put the Gators up, 2-0. Soon after, fellow freshman No. 10 Josie Kuhlman downed Mai El Kamash, 6-1, 6-, to increase the UF lead. Sophomore No. 45-ranked Keegan sealed the deal with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ole Miss' Erin Stephens.

The Gators meet No. 9-ranked No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in the semifinals on Saturday, April 18 at noon.