Sunday, April 23
Starkville, MS
1:00 PM
Florida Gators
4
vs
3
Georgia at SEC Tournament
GATOR MEN'S TENNIS CAPTURES SEC TOURNAMENT TITLE WITH 4-3 WIN OVER GEORGIA
Sunday, April 23, 2000 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The third-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team (24-3) captured the 2000 SEC Tournament Title with a 4-3 win over 18th-ranked Georgia (16-10) Sunday on the campus of Mississippi State University. The match, which had delays of nearly three and a half hours, began outdoors at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre but finished indoors at McCarthy Gymnasium.
"The guys did a great job," said Gator head coach Ian Duvenhage. "I am happy for the whole team and especially the seniors. The best thing is the fact that everyone contributed to the title this weekend. We are the undisputed SEC Champions for 2000."
The Gators, who shared the 2000 SEC title with Tennessee with 10-1 regular season records, captured their second tournament title after also winning the crown in 1994. Florida's win completed an impressive day for Gator tennis, as UF's men's and women's teams swept the SEC Tournament titles for the first time in league history since team play began in 1990. The Florida women also beat Georgia, downing the Bulldogs 5-1 in Oxford.
The two teams played singles first due to the rain delay. Senior Justin O'Neal, who is ranked ninth nationally, gave Florida an early edge as he won his sixth straight with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 57th-ranked Adam Seri at number two.
"This is what you work for all year," said O'Neal. "I had confidence in the team and I knew we would come through."
Georgia tied the score moments later as senior Dylan Mann lost to Nicolas Boeker, 6-3, 6-3 at number five, halting Mann's four-match winning streak. The two teams traded victories again five minutes later, with Florida claiming the number four singles spot and Georgia grabbing number six singles. Sophomore Olivier Levant snapped a two-match losing streak with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Travis Parrott at number four before freshman Troy Hahn lost to Brandon Wagner, 6-3, 6-2 at number six.
Junior Jeff Morrison, who is ranked fourth in the nation in singles and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, captured his 10th win in a row with a 6-4, 6-2 win over 22nd-ranked Matias Boeker at number one to give the Gators a 3-2 advantage.
"This is unbelievable for the team," said Morrison. "It is a culmination of all the hard work and is something we will remember forever."
At the remaining court at number three singles junior Nathan Overholser won the first set 6-1, but Georgia's 58th-ranked Lesley Joseph came back to take the second set, 6-3. With Joseph serving at 5-4 and 15-15 in the final set, the rains came again and the match was delayed due to rain for one hour and 24 minutes. The match was then moved inside to McCarthy Gymnasium. Overholser won the first two points, but Joseph fought off two break points and then won the next two points to even the dual at 3-3.
The doubles followed indoors, with number one and number two doubles the first to be contested on the two courts. UF's sixth-ranked team of Morrison and Overholser won their 17th straight match with an 8-5 victory over 16th-ranked Matias Boeker and Parrott at number one. Senior Trey Adcock and O'Neal then clinched UF's title with an 8-6 win at number two over Joseph and Seri. Adcock and O'Neal, who were playing doubles together for the first time this season, used a service break in the fifth game to gain the momentum in the match.
The Gators will now await word on NCAA first and second round play, which will take place at campus sites on the weekend of May 12.
No. 3 FLORIDA (24-3) 4
No. 18 Georgia (16-10) 3
SEC Tournament Final
Sunday, April 23, 2000
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, Starkville, Miss.
SINGLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison (UF) d. Matias Boeker (UGA) 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 – Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Adam Seri (UGA) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 – Lesley Joseph (UGA) d. Nathan Overholser (UF) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 – Olivier Levant (UF) d. Travis Parrott (UGA) 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 – Nicolas Boeker (UGA) d. Dylan Mann (UF) 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 – Brandon Wagner (UGA) d. Troy Hahn (UF) 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Matias Boeker-Travis Parrott (UGA) 8-5
No. 2 – Trey Adcock-Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Lesley Joseph-Adam Seri (UGA) 8-6
No. 3 – Marcos Asse-Dylan Mann (UF) vs. Nicolas Boeker-Brandon Wagner (UGA), not played
"The guys did a great job," said Gator head coach Ian Duvenhage. "I am happy for the whole team and especially the seniors. The best thing is the fact that everyone contributed to the title this weekend. We are the undisputed SEC Champions for 2000."
The Gators, who shared the 2000 SEC title with Tennessee with 10-1 regular season records, captured their second tournament title after also winning the crown in 1994. Florida's win completed an impressive day for Gator tennis, as UF's men's and women's teams swept the SEC Tournament titles for the first time in league history since team play began in 1990. The Florida women also beat Georgia, downing the Bulldogs 5-1 in Oxford.
The two teams played singles first due to the rain delay. Senior Justin O'Neal, who is ranked ninth nationally, gave Florida an early edge as he won his sixth straight with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 57th-ranked Adam Seri at number two.
"This is what you work for all year," said O'Neal. "I had confidence in the team and I knew we would come through."
Georgia tied the score moments later as senior Dylan Mann lost to Nicolas Boeker, 6-3, 6-3 at number five, halting Mann's four-match winning streak. The two teams traded victories again five minutes later, with Florida claiming the number four singles spot and Georgia grabbing number six singles. Sophomore Olivier Levant snapped a two-match losing streak with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Travis Parrott at number four before freshman Troy Hahn lost to Brandon Wagner, 6-3, 6-2 at number six.
Junior Jeff Morrison, who is ranked fourth in the nation in singles and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, captured his 10th win in a row with a 6-4, 6-2 win over 22nd-ranked Matias Boeker at number one to give the Gators a 3-2 advantage.
"This is unbelievable for the team," said Morrison. "It is a culmination of all the hard work and is something we will remember forever."
At the remaining court at number three singles junior Nathan Overholser won the first set 6-1, but Georgia's 58th-ranked Lesley Joseph came back to take the second set, 6-3. With Joseph serving at 5-4 and 15-15 in the final set, the rains came again and the match was delayed due to rain for one hour and 24 minutes. The match was then moved inside to McCarthy Gymnasium. Overholser won the first two points, but Joseph fought off two break points and then won the next two points to even the dual at 3-3.
The doubles followed indoors, with number one and number two doubles the first to be contested on the two courts. UF's sixth-ranked team of Morrison and Overholser won their 17th straight match with an 8-5 victory over 16th-ranked Matias Boeker and Parrott at number one. Senior Trey Adcock and O'Neal then clinched UF's title with an 8-6 win at number two over Joseph and Seri. Adcock and O'Neal, who were playing doubles together for the first time this season, used a service break in the fifth game to gain the momentum in the match.
The Gators will now await word on NCAA first and second round play, which will take place at campus sites on the weekend of May 12.
No. 3 FLORIDA (24-3) 4
No. 18 Georgia (16-10) 3
SEC Tournament Final
Sunday, April 23, 2000
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, Starkville, Miss.
SINGLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison (UF) d. Matias Boeker (UGA) 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 – Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Adam Seri (UGA) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 – Lesley Joseph (UGA) d. Nathan Overholser (UF) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 – Olivier Levant (UF) d. Travis Parrott (UGA) 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 – Nicolas Boeker (UGA) d. Dylan Mann (UF) 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 – Brandon Wagner (UGA) d. Troy Hahn (UF) 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Matias Boeker-Travis Parrott (UGA) 8-5
No. 2 – Trey Adcock-Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Lesley Joseph-Adam Seri (UGA) 8-6
No. 3 – Marcos Asse-Dylan Mann (UF) vs. Nicolas Boeker-Brandon Wagner (UGA), not played
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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