McCartney Kessler has won nine consecutive SEC singles matches and sports a team-best 9-1 record in league dual matches.
McCartney Kessler Tabbed SEC Co-Freshman of the Week
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 | Women's Tennis
Kessler has won nine consecutive SEC singles matches and sports a team-best 9-1 record in league dual matches.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the first time in her career, UF's McCartney Kessler was recognized as the Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman Week, the league office announced today.
The rookie from Calhoun, Ga., had just one match last week and withstood the pressure of keeping the Gators in the hunt for the SEC regular-season title, as she knocked off No. 31-ranked Hadley Berg, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and helped Florida upset No. 5 South Carolina.
A Glance at Kessler's Week
What's Next for the Gators
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The rookie from Calhoun, Ga., had just one match last week and withstood the pressure of keeping the Gators in the hunt for the SEC regular-season title, as she knocked off No. 31-ranked Hadley Berg, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and helped Florida upset No. 5 South Carolina.
A Glance at Kessler's Week
- Florida's only dual match last week was a huge one with multiple implications – including the race for the SEC regular-season champion and Gator freshman McCartney Kessler rose to the challenge under the spotlight.
- Facing the nation's fifth-ranked team that was 10-0 playing on its home court, Kessler dropped a tough first set 7-5. She then pulled out a second-set tiebreak (7-5) to force a deciding third set which was tied at 3-3 when rain halted played with the team score knotted at 2-2.
- After a four-hour delay, Kessler calmly returned to the court and won three straight games that included two breaks, to give Florida a 3-2 lead in the team scoring.
- Kessler was playing a career-high No. 3 in the singles lineup and was battling the nation's 31st-ranked player. This was just the third ranked opponent Kessler has faced during her career, as well as the highest-ranked foe. The previous highest-ranked opponent was No. 91 Marina Guinart of Oklahoma State and Kessler lost that in a three-setter.
- Kessler has won nine consecutive SEC singles matches and sports a team-best 9-1 record in league dual matches.
- Kessler also leads UF in total dual match wins with a 14-4 record.
- The team victory lifted Florida into a three-way tie atop the SEC standings with two matches remaining.
What's Next for the Gators
- Who: No. 10 Florida (15-6, 10-1 SEC) hosts No. 23 Kentucky (14-7, 6-5 SEC)
- When: Thursday, April 13 at 5 p.m.
- Where: Linder Stadium at the Ring Tennis Complex
- Admission: FREE
- UF Media Notes: https://bit.ly/2GQzbwu
- Promotion: first 100 fans receive a free Pop Socket (an expanding photo grip and phone stand)
- Live Online Video & Scoring: http://floridagators.com/tennis-women-live
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube |
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
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