Florida Gators
UCF
Men's Tennis Opens Season With 5-2 Win Over UCF
Thursday, February 1, 2007 | Men's Tennis
The 15th-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team started the 2007 dual match season with a 5-2 victory over UCF Wednesday afternoon at the Ring Tennis Complex.
Florida's win was its 19th-straight in season openers and kept the Gators perfect against in-state opponents (24-0) under head coach Andy Jackson who is in his sixth season in Gainesville.
Combining singles and doubles, Florida's lineup included five players who did not see action in a dual match for the Gators in 2006. Freshmen Geoffrey Barton (Boca Raton) and Dan Cash (Oslo, Norway) help comprise the freshman class. In addition, redshirt senior Jordan Dolberg (Pembroke Pines) returned to the lineup for the first time in a year after taking a redshirt last season due to a stress fracture. Sophomore Billy Mulligan (Miami) transferred to UF from William and Mary and classmate Shaun Young (Brandon) competed for the first time in a dual in his career.
“Today's match went along the lines of the way I thought it would go,” said Jackson. “UCF could have won the match and our guys knew that coming in. Our team gained some much needed confidence. Greg (Ouellette) played the way he's been trying to improve his game to get to. Nestor (Briceno) showed a lot of leadership. The younger guys didn't win a whole lot, but they were in their matches and fought hard. They showed some things we can work with.”
Doubles got underway when Cash and Barton jumped to a 4-0 lead on court three against UCF's Tarek Ben Soltane and Jimmy Roesch. The Gator duo went on to pick up the 8-2 victory in just under 30 minutes. Ouellette and Briceno then held off Johan Biegart and Sinan Sudas on the top court, 8-6, to give UF the 1-0 lead.
In singles, Ouellette (No. 16) and Dolberg built the lead to 3-0 with straight set victories before UCF could get on the board. Ouellette defeated Soltane on court one (6-2, 6-1), while Dolberg took out Brock Sakey two spots down in the order. Ouellette's victory on court one was the second of his career.
Briceno (No. 60) provided the clincher with a 6-3, 6-4 showing over Sudas on court two. Briceno, who played consistently on courts three and four last season, made the highest appearance in the order of his career. Young rounded out the scoring by outlasting Roesch on court six. 7-6 (6), 5-7, 1-0 (4).
Florida returns to action this week when the Gators host Furman on Friday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m., before No. 2 Baylor comes to Gainesville for a meeting on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.
College Men's Tennis
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex
Gainesville, Fla.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Final Score: Florida 5, UCF 2
Doubles
No. 1 Greg Ouellette-Nestor Briceno, UF def. Johan Beigart-Sinan Sudas, UCF, 8-6
No. 2 Norman Alcantara-Brock Sakey, UCF def. Jordan Dolberg-Billy Mulligan, UF, 8-6
No. 3 Dan Cash-Geoffrey Barton, UF def. Tarek Ben Soltane-Jimmy Roesch, UCF, 8-2
Singles
No. 1 Greg Ouellette, UF (16) def. Tarek Ben Soltane, UCF, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 Nestor Briceno, UF (60) def. Sinan Sudas, UCF, 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 Jordan Dolberg, UF def. Brock Sakey, UCF, 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 Johan Beigart, UCF def Billy Mulligan, UF, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 Ener Gursoy, UCF def. Dan Cash, UF, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 Shaun Young, UF def. Jimmy Roesch, UCF, 7-6 (6), 5-7, 1-0 (4)
Order of Finish: Doubles – 3, 1, 2 Singles – 1, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6
END OF REPORT
