Sunday, March 12
Gainesville, FL
1:00 PM
Florida Gators
4
vs
2
#23 South Carolina
Jordan Belga clinched the win for the Gators with a win at No. 6 singles (Photo: Courtney Culbreath / UAA Communications)
Gators Grind Out Win Over Gamecocks
Sunday, March 12, 2017 | Men's Tennis
Box Score
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15 Florida men's tennis team pulled off a big win against No. 23 South Carolina on Sunday, defeating the Gamecocks 4-2 at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex. Due to rain, the match was moved indoors on Sunday afternoon, creating an additional obstacle for both teams.
In doubles play, the No. 4 team of Johannes Ingildsen and Alfredo Perez pulled out a quick 6-2 win over South Carolina's Dennis/O'Keefe. Joshua Wardell and Chase Perez-Blanco followed with a 6-4 win over Friedrich/Schafer to clinch the doubles point for the Gators.
In singles play, Florida took two losses in the second and third positions to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. No. 10 Perez dropped the first set to No. 51 Friedrich, but fought back to take a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win to tie up the team score. This win breaks a five-match losing streak for Perez in his singles game.
Ingildsen brought the Gators back in the lead with a quick 6-2, 6-2 win over Alex Fennell, leaving the clinching point in the hands of either Maxx Lipman or Jordan Belga.
Lipman fought a close match against South Carolina's Yancy Dennis, losing the first set 7-5 but winning the second 6-4. At the same time, Belga rolled through USC's Thomas Mayronne in the first set, winning 6-3. With the pressure on his back, Belga was able to pull out a 6-3, 6-4 win over Mayronne to clinch the match for the Gators.
Quoting Head Coach Bryan Shelton
"It feels good to win, we never take that for granted, especially after losing some tough ones recently. To be able to win here at home in a tough battle feels really good. It's always nice to be able to finish out a week like this with a W. Today's win was special because it was really a team victory. We won the doubles point and a lot of people were involved in that. I think the guys that didn't play today, they had a big part in our success because of the way they were just bringing energy to the guys that were out there on the court. They really strengthened our fight, and I felt like our bench was incredible today. They just wanted it so badly and I think our guys fed off of that. Even though we got off to a terrible start in singles, we never went away. So I was really proud of them for the fight they brought to today's match."
On Alfredo Perez's singles win…
"I think it was huge for him, and in turn it was huge for us. Playing on three courts indoors we needed that one in the middle, and he needed that win just to get his confidence back. He's gone a couple weeks without winning a match, so for him it's huge to see one go your way. He had to fight for it, it wasn't given to him. I think the way he won, how that kind of stopped [South Carolina's] momentum in this match, I think it was really good for the Gators. If we get our guy at the top back where he needs to be again, I think it's going to bode well for the rest of our season."
On how they matched up against South Carolina…
"I think South Carolina did a nice job, they're a well-coached team. Josh Goffi, their head coach, he does a great job of helping those guys create momentum out there. You could see what they were trying to do and how they were executing. I thought they did a great job after the doubles point coming out and really jumping on us early. They go up a break in all three singles matches right after losing the doubles point, I think that says something about their preparation and desire and the coaching.
"It's not just the start, it's the finish, and I thought our guys did a nice job of finishing today."
Quoting Sophomore Alfredo Perez
On the win and how it will help his confidence…
"It feels pretty good. We needed it, we've been struggling a little bit, but I feel like this was a good win for the team. Obviously they played really well, and we didn't play as well on every court, but we competed our hearts out and it paid off in the end."
"I've been struggling a little too the past couple weeks, I haven't won in five matches. Being able to be down in this match and then find my way out of it to be able to win it, it's a good way to start winning again and getting my points for our team."
On getting multiple aces in the second set…
"It's always nice to get free points, it takes a lot of confidence away from the other guy. Being able to hold my serve easily puts pressure on the other guy. I have to do the right thing and I can't miss. If he wants to stay in the match he has to hold his serves."
#15 Florida 4, #23 South Carolina 2
Sun. March 12, 2017 | 1:45 PM
Gainesville, Fla.
Doubles (Order of finish: 1, 3)
1. #4 Johannes Ingildsen/Alfredo Perez (UF) def. Yancy Dennis/Harrison O'Keefe (SC), 6-2
2. Maxx Lipman/Elliott Orkin (UF) vs. Sam Swank/Alex Fennell (SC), DNF (4-4)
3. Joshua Wardell/Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Gabriel Friedrich/Andrew Schafer (SC), 6-4*
Singles (Order of finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 6)
1. #10 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. #51 Gabriel Friedrich (SC), 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Harrison O'Keefe (SC) def. #79 Elliott Orkin (UF), 6-4, 6-4
3. Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Chase Perez-Blanco (UF), 7-5, 6-1
4. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Alex Fennell (SC), 6-2, 6-2
5. Maxx Lipman (UF) vs. Yancy Dennis (SC), DNF (7-5, 4-6, 5-4 SC)
6. Jordan Belga (UF) def. Thomas Mayronne (SC), 6-3, 6-4*
*Clinched victory
Up Next for the Gators
Florida will head to Oxford, Miss. to take on Ole Miss on Thursday, March 16 in its fourth conference match of the season. The Gators hold a 36-23 all-time record over the Rebels.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15 Florida men's tennis team pulled off a big win against No. 23 South Carolina on Sunday, defeating the Gamecocks 4-2 at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex. Due to rain, the match was moved indoors on Sunday afternoon, creating an additional obstacle for both teams.
In doubles play, the No. 4 team of Johannes Ingildsen and Alfredo Perez pulled out a quick 6-2 win over South Carolina's Dennis/O'Keefe. Joshua Wardell and Chase Perez-Blanco followed with a 6-4 win over Friedrich/Schafer to clinch the doubles point for the Gators.
In singles play, Florida took two losses in the second and third positions to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. No. 10 Perez dropped the first set to No. 51 Friedrich, but fought back to take a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win to tie up the team score. This win breaks a five-match losing streak for Perez in his singles game.
Ingildsen brought the Gators back in the lead with a quick 6-2, 6-2 win over Alex Fennell, leaving the clinching point in the hands of either Maxx Lipman or Jordan Belga.
Lipman fought a close match against South Carolina's Yancy Dennis, losing the first set 7-5 but winning the second 6-4. At the same time, Belga rolled through USC's Thomas Mayronne in the first set, winning 6-3. With the pressure on his back, Belga was able to pull out a 6-3, 6-4 win over Mayronne to clinch the match for the Gators.
Quoting Head Coach Bryan Shelton
"It feels good to win, we never take that for granted, especially after losing some tough ones recently. To be able to win here at home in a tough battle feels really good. It's always nice to be able to finish out a week like this with a W. Today's win was special because it was really a team victory. We won the doubles point and a lot of people were involved in that. I think the guys that didn't play today, they had a big part in our success because of the way they were just bringing energy to the guys that were out there on the court. They really strengthened our fight, and I felt like our bench was incredible today. They just wanted it so badly and I think our guys fed off of that. Even though we got off to a terrible start in singles, we never went away. So I was really proud of them for the fight they brought to today's match."
On Alfredo Perez's singles win…
"I think it was huge for him, and in turn it was huge for us. Playing on three courts indoors we needed that one in the middle, and he needed that win just to get his confidence back. He's gone a couple weeks without winning a match, so for him it's huge to see one go your way. He had to fight for it, it wasn't given to him. I think the way he won, how that kind of stopped [South Carolina's] momentum in this match, I think it was really good for the Gators. If we get our guy at the top back where he needs to be again, I think it's going to bode well for the rest of our season."
On how they matched up against South Carolina…
"I think South Carolina did a nice job, they're a well-coached team. Josh Goffi, their head coach, he does a great job of helping those guys create momentum out there. You could see what they were trying to do and how they were executing. I thought they did a great job after the doubles point coming out and really jumping on us early. They go up a break in all three singles matches right after losing the doubles point, I think that says something about their preparation and desire and the coaching.
"It's not just the start, it's the finish, and I thought our guys did a nice job of finishing today."
Quoting Sophomore Alfredo Perez
On the win and how it will help his confidence…
"It feels pretty good. We needed it, we've been struggling a little bit, but I feel like this was a good win for the team. Obviously they played really well, and we didn't play as well on every court, but we competed our hearts out and it paid off in the end."
"I've been struggling a little too the past couple weeks, I haven't won in five matches. Being able to be down in this match and then find my way out of it to be able to win it, it's a good way to start winning again and getting my points for our team."
On getting multiple aces in the second set…
"It's always nice to get free points, it takes a lot of confidence away from the other guy. Being able to hold my serve easily puts pressure on the other guy. I have to do the right thing and I can't miss. If he wants to stay in the match he has to hold his serves."
#15 Florida 4, #23 South Carolina 2
Sun. March 12, 2017 | 1:45 PM
Gainesville, Fla.
Doubles (Order of finish: 1, 3)
1. #4 Johannes Ingildsen/Alfredo Perez (UF) def. Yancy Dennis/Harrison O'Keefe (SC), 6-2
2. Maxx Lipman/Elliott Orkin (UF) vs. Sam Swank/Alex Fennell (SC), DNF (4-4)
3. Joshua Wardell/Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Gabriel Friedrich/Andrew Schafer (SC), 6-4*
Singles (Order of finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 6)
1. #10 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. #51 Gabriel Friedrich (SC), 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Harrison O'Keefe (SC) def. #79 Elliott Orkin (UF), 6-4, 6-4
3. Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Chase Perez-Blanco (UF), 7-5, 6-1
4. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Alex Fennell (SC), 6-2, 6-2
5. Maxx Lipman (UF) vs. Yancy Dennis (SC), DNF (7-5, 4-6, 5-4 SC)
6. Jordan Belga (UF) def. Thomas Mayronne (SC), 6-3, 6-4*
*Clinched victory
Up Next for the Gators
Florida will head to Oxford, Miss. to take on Ole Miss on Thursday, March 16 in its fourth conference match of the season. The Gators hold a 36-23 all-time record over the Rebels.
Follow the Gators
Join the conversation: Tweet #GoGators
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