Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The fourth-seeded University of Florida men's tennis team (25-3) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships with a 4-0 victory over Florida A&M (21-5) Saturday afternoon at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. The Gators will face UAB, a 4-2 winner over Florida Atlantic, in the second round on Sunday, May 14 at noon.
 
"We have not played in two weeks, so I am happy to advance," said Gator head coach Ian Duvenhage. "We have to get ready for tomorrow."
 
Florida captured the doubles point with decisive victories at number one and number two. UF's number two team of sophomore Olivier Levant and senior Justin O'Neal blanked Florida A&M's Josef Clark and Ivan Lalic, 8-0 at number two in a match that lasted just 20 minutes before UF's third-ranked duo of juniors Jeff Morrison and Nathan Overholser sealed the point with their 18^th consecutive victory at number one.
 
The Gators then dominated the top three spots in singles, with O'Neal, who is ranked 10^th nationally, earning his team-high seventh clinching victory of the year at number two. O'Neal's win, 6-4, 6-2 over Lalic, was his seventh consecutive in singles. Overholser had given UF a 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Lenin Mongerie at number three in only 50 minutes. Morrison, who is the nation's top-ranked singles player, needed just one hour to win his 11^th straight in singles, 6-2, 6-1 over Jerry Joseph at number one. With the victory, Florida ties the 1975 team (25-2) for the school record for wins in a season with its 25^th.
 
"The experience was the big thing," said Florida A&M head coach Dr. Carl Goodman. Overall the match went well. The main thing now is that our kids know where they belong. We will lick our wounds over the summer and come back next year."
 
In the first match of the day, UAB held off a furious rally from Florida Atlantic in singles. UAB took the doubles point, winning the deciding match at number one doubles in a tiebreaker. UAB's Tom Dalby and Alex Jung beat Florida Atlantic's Ben Cooper and Doug Devriendt 9-8 (7-4) to clinch the point after the teams split the matches at number two and number three doubles. The Blazers extended the lead to 3-0 with victories at number one and number three singles, but the Owls closed the gap to 3-2 with wins at number four and number five. UAB rallied at number six singles to close out the match as Fabio Faerman came from one set down for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over FAU's Paul Shovlin.
 
"Florida Atlantic fought really hard today," said UAB head coach Derek Tarr. We were very concerned about the weather, but we managed to squeeze by at number six. We are happy to have the opportunity to move into the next round."
 
"I am proud of what this team has accomplished this season," said Florida Atlantic head coach Mike Wheelen. I was also proud of the way they battled back when things weren't looking so good. All in all, it was a great experience, especially for our three seniors."
 
NCAA Men's Tennis Championships
First Round - Saturday, May 13, 2000
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, Gainesville, Fla.
 
Florida (25-3) d. Florida A&M (21-5) 4-0
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Robert Beautelus-Isaac Yarrell (FAMU) 8-3
No. 2 – Olivier Levant-Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Josef Clark-Ivan Lalic (FAMU) 8-0
No. 3 – Marcos Asse-Dylan Mann (UF) vs. Jerry Joseph-Noel Wadawu (FAMU), not completed
 
SINGLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison (UF) d. Jerry Joseph (FAMU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 – Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Ivan Lalic (FAMU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 – Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Lenin Mongerie (FAMU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 4 – Olivier Levant (UF) vs. Isaac Yarrell (FAMU), not completed
No. 5 – Dylan Mann (UF) vs. Robert Beautelus (FAMU), not completed
No. 6 – Trey Adcock (UF) vs. Noel Wadawu (FAMU), not completed
 
UAB (19-6) d. Florida Atlantic (15-7) 4-2
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Tom Dalby-Alex Jung (UAB) d. Ben Cooper-Doug Devriendt (FAU) 9-8 (4)
No. 2 – Daniel Dauber-Juan Ros (FAU) d. Andre Van Der Merwe-Martin Woisetschlager (UAB) 8-4
No. 3 – Paul Shovlin-Kolie Van Zyl (UAB) d. Fabio Faerman-Sandro Spotti (FAU) 8-6
 
SINGLES
No. 1 – Martin Woisetschlager (UAB) d. Juan Ros (FAU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 – Daniel Dauber (FAU) vs. Tom Dalby (UAB), not completed
No. 3 – Kolie Van Zyl (UAB) d. Ben Cooper (FAU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 – Doug Devriendt (FAU) d. Alex Jung (UAB) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 – Sandro Spotti (FAU) d. Andre Van Der Merwe (UAB) 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
No. 6 – Paul Shovlin (UAB) d. Fabio Faerman (FAU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3