With two wins Friday, McCartney Kessler already has 10 victories this fall
Kessler Bounces Back, Wins a Pair in Tulsa
Friday, October 11, 2019 | Women's Tennis
Women’s tennis standout McCartney Kessler earns two impressive wins at ITA All-American Championships.
TULSA, Okla. – University of Florida women's tennis junior McCartney Kessler earned a pair of victories including one over a top 10 opponent as she completed her third day of competition at the Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships Friday at the Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park.
The two-time All-SEC selection improved to 3-1 in the national showcase after besting All-Americans Vera Ploner of Tulsa and Georgia Tech's Kenya Jones, who holds the No. 10 spot in the ITA rankings.
In her first bout of the day, No. 23 Kessler took care of the Tulsa senior Ploner. Battling the All-American on her home turf, Kessler locked in and won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
With the win, Kessler secured a spot in the back draw's quarterfinal round where she matched up with the two-time All-American Jones.
Kessler kept the momentum on her side by claiming the first set by a tally of 6-2. The junior was met with more resistance in the second set, but held on for a 7-5 victory to secure the match.
Kessler's fall record now sits at 10-4.
After dropping her first match of the tournament, Kessler continues to move forward in the event's back draw. She advances to the semifinal round which will be played Saturday. Her match time and opponent have yet to be announced, but make sure to follow @GatorsWTN on Tiwtter for the most up-to-date information.
Quotes from the Court – Assistant Coach Lauren Embree
Takeaways from the Match…
"McCartney did a great job bouncing back today. She raised her level and was really tough mentally this afternoon when she needed to be. I'm really proud of the way she is competing and handling the key moments of the match. That was the difference between going three sets and finding a way to win in two today."
Results
Friday, Oct. 11
Back Draw Round II
No. 23 McCartney Kessler def. Vera Ploner (Tulsa), 6-2, 6-2
Back Draw Quarterfinal
No. 23 McCartney Kessler vs. No. 10 Kenya Jones (Georgia Tech), 6-2, 7-5
Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 12
Back Draw Semifinal
No. 23 McCartney Kessler vs. TBD (match time TBA)
2019 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships
Oct. 5-13
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.
Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park
About the Intercollegiate Tennis Association
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow. As the governing body of college tennis, the ITA oversees men's and women's varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College divisions. The ITA administers a comprehensive awards and rankings program for men's and women's varsity players, coaches and teams in all divisions, providing recognition for their accomplishments on and off the court. For more information on the ITA, visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com, like the ITA on Facebook or follow @ITA_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
The two-time All-SEC selection improved to 3-1 in the national showcase after besting All-Americans Vera Ploner of Tulsa and Georgia Tech's Kenya Jones, who holds the No. 10 spot in the ITA rankings.
In her first bout of the day, No. 23 Kessler took care of the Tulsa senior Ploner. Battling the All-American on her home turf, Kessler locked in and won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
With the win, Kessler secured a spot in the back draw's quarterfinal round where she matched up with the two-time All-American Jones.
Kessler kept the momentum on her side by claiming the first set by a tally of 6-2. The junior was met with more resistance in the second set, but held on for a 7-5 victory to secure the match.
Kessler's fall record now sits at 10-4.
After dropping her first match of the tournament, Kessler continues to move forward in the event's back draw. She advances to the semifinal round which will be played Saturday. Her match time and opponent have yet to be announced, but make sure to follow @GatorsWTN on Tiwtter for the most up-to-date information.
Quotes from the Court – Assistant Coach Lauren Embree
Takeaways from the Match…
"McCartney did a great job bouncing back today. She raised her level and was really tough mentally this afternoon when she needed to be. I'm really proud of the way she is competing and handling the key moments of the match. That was the difference between going three sets and finding a way to win in two today."
Results
Friday, Oct. 11
Back Draw Round II
No. 23 McCartney Kessler def. Vera Ploner (Tulsa), 6-2, 6-2
Back Draw Quarterfinal
No. 23 McCartney Kessler vs. No. 10 Kenya Jones (Georgia Tech), 6-2, 7-5
Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 12
Back Draw Semifinal
No. 23 McCartney Kessler vs. TBD (match time TBA)
2019 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships
Oct. 5-13
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.
Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park
About the Intercollegiate Tennis Association
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow. As the governing body of college tennis, the ITA oversees men's and women's varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College divisions. The ITA administers a comprehensive awards and rankings program for men's and women's varsity players, coaches and teams in all divisions, providing recognition for their accomplishments on and off the court. For more information on the ITA, visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com, like the ITA on Facebook or follow @ITA_Tennis on Twitter and Instagram.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
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