Junior McCartney Kessler took the court at elite national tournament Wednesday.
Kessler Falls at ITA All-American Championships
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 | Women's Tennis
Women’s tennis junior McCartney Kessler drops decision to reigning Ivy League Player of the Year at national competition.
TULSA, Okla. – In a matchup between two top 75 players, University of Florida women's tennis junior and 23rd-ranked McCartney Kessler came up short, falling 7-6, 6-2 to No. 63 Iuliia Bryzgalova Wednesday in the opening round of the ITA All-American Championships main draw at the Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park.
After a back-and-forth opening stanza resulted in a 7-6 victory for the sophomore Bryzgalova, Kessler built a 2-1 advantage in the second, but her momentum was halted when inclement weather forced the action indoors. Bryzgalova, the 2019 Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, had the edge on the new terrain, claiming five-straight games and the match.
The tournament field features some of the game's most elite talent as 59 of the 64 players in the main draw possess an ITA ranking.
Kessler, who had posted back-to-back match victories entering the tournament, saw her fall record drop to 7-4.
The Georgia native will get another crack at it Thursday with a match in the tournament's back draw.
Make sure to follow @GatorsWTN on Twitter for updates regarding her opponent and match time.
Addendum: Kessler earned a win via walkover on Thursday afternoon. With the victory, she advances to the next round of the backdraw and will compete Friday with her opponent and match time TBA.
Quotes from the Court – Assistant Coach Lauren Embree
Takeaways from the Match…
"McCartney had a tough one today. Her opponent played some big-time tennis, and did a great job taking offense early on. We needed to be a little more assertive on our game plan today. We will definitely learn from this match, and be better from it tomorrow."
Results
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Main Draw Round I
No. 63 Iuliia Bryzgalova def. No. 23 McCartney Kessler - 7-6, 6-2
Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 10
Back Draw Round I
No. 23 McCartney Kessler def. Brianna Shvets (Princeton) - Walkover
2019 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships
Oct. 5-13
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.
Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park
Main Draw
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
After a back-and-forth opening stanza resulted in a 7-6 victory for the sophomore Bryzgalova, Kessler built a 2-1 advantage in the second, but her momentum was halted when inclement weather forced the action indoors. Bryzgalova, the 2019 Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, had the edge on the new terrain, claiming five-straight games and the match.
The tournament field features some of the game's most elite talent as 59 of the 64 players in the main draw possess an ITA ranking.
Kessler, who had posted back-to-back match victories entering the tournament, saw her fall record drop to 7-4.
The Georgia native will get another crack at it Thursday with a match in the tournament's back draw.
Make sure to follow @GatorsWTN on Twitter for updates regarding her opponent and match time.
Addendum: Kessler earned a win via walkover on Thursday afternoon. With the victory, she advances to the next round of the backdraw and will compete Friday with her opponent and match time TBA.
Quotes from the Court – Assistant Coach Lauren Embree
Takeaways from the Match…
"McCartney had a tough one today. Her opponent played some big-time tennis, and did a great job taking offense early on. We needed to be a little more assertive on our game plan today. We will definitely learn from this match, and be better from it tomorrow."
Results
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Main Draw Round I
No. 63 Iuliia Bryzgalova def. No. 23 McCartney Kessler - 7-6, 6-2
Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 10
Back Draw Round I
No. 23 McCartney Kessler def. Brianna Shvets (Princeton) - Walkover
2019 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships
Oct. 5-13
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.
Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park
Main Draw
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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