Results (PDF)

RALEIGH, N.C. – Taking on NC State in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend championship match for the second-straight season, No. 21 University of Florida women's tennis team (1-1) dropped a 4-0 decision to the No. 8 Wolfpack (8-0) Sunday afternoon at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.

After coming up short in Gainesville to NC State in the same matchup a season ago, Florida couldn't overcome an early deficit as the top-10 Wolfpack clinched a bid to the ITA National Indoor Championships in Chicago.

The doubles point went to the Wolfpack, but it wouldn't go easy as Tsveta Dimitrova and Ida Jarlskog fought back to tie the score at 6-6 on what was the decisive court. Despite a strong comeback bid, the Gator duo would fall to No. 22 Adriana Reami and Jaeda Daniel, 7-6.

Playing for just their second time this dual match season, the Gators were tripped up by NC State, which played its eighth match already this campaign.

Battling a Wolfpack team that featured three ranked singles team and two ranked double sides, Florida fought hard in the tournament's finale.

The doubles point went in favor of the Wolfpack as they posted wins on courts one and two. Taking on a pair of ranked doubles sides, Florida first court combo of Victoria Emma and McCartney Kessler fell to the nation's No. 1 ranked doubles pairing in Anna Rogers and Alana Smith, 3-6. On court three, Sydney Berlin and Marlee Zein defeated Liz Norman and Lexi Keberle, 6-4 setting up a decisive bout on the second court.

For the second-straight day, the Gators entered singles play trailing, but this time they weren't able to find the same success in singles action.

The Gators came out strong in singles, but couldn't close the sets as the Wolfpack posted opening-set victories in five of the six courts.

Courts three and five were the first to fall Sunday afternoon as No. 23 Reami knocked off No. 96 Emma, 6-4, 6-2 while from the No. 5 position Dimitrova suffered a setback for the first time this season as she was downed by Danie, 6-4, 6-4.

Now with just one more point needed for NC State to clinch it, Norman notched a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Berlin.

Two Gators saw their matches end unfinished in a third set.

No. 37 Kessler saw her match go unfinished at 6-7, 4-3 while Jarlskog, who bounced back to win her second set, played an unfinished match which ended at a 3-6, 6-1, 5-0 tally.

Zein's tilt ended with a 2-6, 6-4, 2-1 score.

Up Next
Tuesday, Feb. 4
No. 21 Florida vs. No. 14 Michigan
Varsity Tennis Center | Ann Arbor, Mich.
 
No. 21 Florida vs. No. 8 NC State
Doubles Results
 No. 1 Anna Rogers/Alana Smith (NC State) def. McCartney Kessler/Victoria Emma (Florida), 6-3
No. 22 Adriana Reami/Jaeda Daniel (NC State) def. Ida Jarlskog/Tsveta Dimitrova (Florida), 7-6
Marlee Zein/Sydney Berlin (Florida) def. Liz Norman/Lexi Keberle (NC State), 6-4

Doubles order of finish: 3, 1, 2
 
Singles Results
No. 37 McCartney Kessler (Florida) vs. No. 31 Alan Smith (NC State), 6-7, 3-4 (Unfinished)
Ida Jarlskog (Florida) vs. No. 18 Anna Rogers (NC State) 6-3, 1-6, 0-5 (Unfinished)
Adriana Reami (NC State) def. No. 96 Victoria Emma  (Florida), 6-4, 6-2
Marlee Zein (Florida) vs. Lexi Keberle (NC State), 2-6, 6-4, 1-2 (Unfinished)
Jaeda Daniel (NC State) def. Tsveta Dimitrova (Florida), 6-4, 6-4
Liz Norman (NC State) def. Sydney Berlin (Florida), 6-3, 6-4

Singles order of finish: 5, 3, 6
 
Quotes from the Court
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
 
Overall thoughts…
"I thought N.C. State played a fantastic match. We had three match points in doubles, which clearly could have made things a little more interesting but I was impressed with their durability in long rallies.
We have improved since the Bahamas. Today was a big step forward in our doubles. With a fairly light month of competition in February, we can make leaps in strength and conditioning which will help us with the grind of the SEC season beginning in March."
 
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