Final Results
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida men's tennis team earned its first win of conference play, defeating LSU 4-3 at home on Sunday (March 5
th). After winning the doubles point, the Gators were able to pull out three singles wins to take down the Tigers. This comes as an important win for Florida, breaking a three-match losing streak and giving the team a 1-1 record in conference play this season.
In doubles play, the dominant team of
Johannes Ingildsen and
Alfredo Perez earned a 6-0 win over Jordan Daigle and Julian Saborio in only 20 minutes. The duo of
Maxx Lipman and
Elliott Orkin followed right behind them, clinching the doubles point for the Gators with a 6-3 win over Justin Butsch and Gabor Csonka.
In singles play, Lipman started off with a quick 6-4, 6-2 win over LSU's Eric Samuelsson in just over an hour to give the Gators a 2-0 lead.
Jordan Belga earned a win in the No. 6 position with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Agie Moreno, but Orkin dropped his match on court 2, losing to Butsch 6-4, 6-3 to bring the score to 3-1 UF.
From there, Florida only won one of the remaining three matches, as the Tigers on courts 1-3 seemed to be too much for the Gators. Perez lost 7-5, 6-2 to LSU's Daigle, but his doubles partner,
Johannes Ingildsen, came in right behind him to earn a tough 6-4, 7-6 win over Nikola Samardzic to clinch the match for the Gators. Court 3 was the final position to finish, as LSU's Csonka defeated
Chase Perez-Blanco 7-6, 6-3 to bring the final score to 4-3 – the third 4-3 match the Gators have seen this season.
The Gators take a break from SEC play to face in-state rival Florida State in Orlando on Friday, March 10
th, as a part of the USTA's College MatchDay.
Quoting Head Coach Bryan Shelton
"I think we did a nice job today, coming out and playing well in the doubles, and to get that doubles point again I think we're gaining some confidence in the doubles courts. It's nice because all three teams are competing well and gelling well together, so hopefully we can just continue to keep doing the same type of work we've been doing and continue to improve as we go through the season."
"Johannes [Ingildsen] and Alfredo [Perez] were outstanding today from start to finish. They played some of their best tennis, so I was really pleased with them. They really want to be the best doubles team in college tennis and I feel like they can be, provided that they continue to improve. On the other two courts I felt like we did a nice job. At No. 3 doubles I thought we did a nice job of staying in there and competing well, and at No. 2 doubles we got down a break and just never flinched. Overall I'm really pleased with our doubles."
"Singles-wise, it was a really mixed bag. We were good in spots and not great in other spots. Moving forward we've got to be collectively more engaged and more united in how we compete and the energy we provide. On every single court I felt like we were a little out of character today, where we were not really bringing our best everywhere. I credit LSU for their part, they brought amazing energy to the match today and a lot of fight. For a team that just lost a bunch of matches, they played like their back was up against the wall today. I'm really impressed with what their coaching staff did with getting those guys prepared to battle."
On how Johannes Ingildsen handled losing the deciding match on Friday and winning it Sunday…
"It's the second time this year that's happened, where a guy that loses the deciding match ends up coming back the next match ends up coming back the next match and being the clincher. For Johannes, I don't think he necessarily played his best tennis today, but to be in that position and to feel the pressure again, and then come through with a win, it's got to do something for his confidence. He already had the confidence in him, but it's good to see him have that in himself."
On how the team is meshing together at this point in the season…
"These guys enjoy being together. You can hear it when the coaches aren't in the locker room, it's the loudest locker room in the country probably. So they have fun before practice, after practice, and they're just a close-knit group. I feel like today we weren't as engaged everywhere and connected together for whatever reason, so that was a little bit out of character for us. But I know these guys have each other's back and we'll bounce back again in our next match when we play Florida State."
No. 13 Florida (8-5/1-1) 4, LSU (2-8/0-2) 3
Sunday, March 5th, 2017 | 1 PM
Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex | Gainesville, Fla.
Doubles (Order of finish: 1, 2)
1. #9 Ingildsen/Perez (UF) def. Daigle/Saborio (LSU), 6-0
2. Lipman/Orkin (UF) def. Butsch/Csonka (LSU), 6-3*
3. Wardell/Perez-Blanco (UF) vs. Wagner/Samardzic (LSU), DNF (5-4 UF)
Singles (Order of finish: 5, 6, 2, 1, 4, 3)
1. Jordan Daigle (LSU) def. #6
Alfredo Perez (UF), 7-5, 6-2
2. #41 Justin Butsch (LSU) def. #92
Elliott Orkin (UF), 6-4, 6-3
3. Gabor Csonka (LSU) def.
Chase Perez-Blanco (UF), 7-6, 6-3
4.
Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Nikola Samardzic (LSU), 6-4, 7-6*
5.
Maxx Lipman (UF) def. Eric Samuelsson (LSU), 6-4, 6-2
6. #120
Jordan Belga (UF) def. Agie Moreno (LSU), 6-1, 6-2
*Clinched victory
Up Next for the Gators
Florida will head down to Orlando where it will face Florida State in the USTA's annual College MatchDay. The match will start at 6 pm on Friday, March 10
th, and will air on ESPN 3.
College MatchDay is a series of top collegiate matches held each year in family-friendly, festive atmospheres to promote the collegiate game in the community and across the country. Admission is free for each College MatchDay at the USTA National Campus, which will feature a free kids' clinic, live music, specialty food and drinks, games and giveaways on-site.
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