Friday, February 14
Madison, WI
3:30 PM CT / 4:30 PM ET
Florida Gators
4
vs
0
Columbia University
Juniors Josh Goodger (left) and Duarte Vale (right) hold a seven-match win streak in No. 3 doubles, holding a perfect 7-0 record on the season.
No. 3 Gators Advance to Quarterfinals, Drop No. 9 Columbia at ITA National Team Indoors
Friday, February 14, 2020 | Men's Tennis
Florida makes its first appearance since 2012 in the ITA National Team Indoors quarterfinals, slated to face No. 5 North Carolina on Saturday in Madison, Wis.
MADISON, Wis. – The No. 3 Florida men's tennis team makes its first appearance in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships quarterfinals since 2012, as the fifth-seeded Gators would clinch a 4-0 decision over No. 9 Columbia (3-2) in first round action at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis. on Friday evening. UF continued its program-leading doubles point streak, now at 11 matches, as the top of the Gators' lineup would handle business in bringing in the first three wins to move Florida's record to 10-1 overall on the year, while adding a top-10 win to its resume.
The win additionally pushes an eight-match win streak for the blue and orange, as the last time UF notched an eight-match win streak within its first 11 matches was 1999.
Doubles was competitive from the start, as the Lions came out hungry to give UF its first doubles point loss of the season, though, UF would handle the attack in No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to yet again claim the 1-0 lead.
Juniors Duarte Vale and Josh Goodger climbed back from a 1-3 deficit to Columbia's Alex Kotzen and Jason Lui, tallying five-straight games to nab a 6-3 decision and push a seven-match win streak for the Gators' No. 3 tandem. Vale and Goodger have yet to be beaten in doubles action thus far, holding a 7-0 record.
The Gators then saw match points in both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, 5-4 and 6-5 respectively, though, No. 13-ranked Oliver Crawford and Sam Riffice managed to seal the deal with an impressive top-five win over fifth-ranked Jack Lin and Jackie Tang, 6-4, to complete doubles action.
UF then stormed out taking five of the six first sets in singles prior to sophomore Sam Riffice and juniors Duarte Vale and Oliver Crawford closing the match with straight-set wins respectively.
Prior to Florida's wins, first-year No. 112 Blaise Bicknell (6-3) and junior Andy Andrade (7-6 (8)) tallied first-set wins before No. 4 Riffice would blitz the Lions' No. 109 Tang in the second set of his match in No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-0, to extend the Gators lead to 2-0 early on.
No. 11 Vale remains a force in singles, going on to add his ninth dual win of the year with a straight-set win over Pandole in No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-1, to push his seventh straight win this season. Additionally, Vale sits at 5-1 from the No. 3 position.
No. 23 Crawford would then put the nail in the coffin, as the captain would deliver a straight-set 6-1, 6-4 loss in upsetting No. 20 Jack Lin to collect a top-20 ranked win and clinch the first-round victory for the Gators. Crawford moves to 4-1 from the top spot, as the victory also serves as his fourth win over top-80 ranked opponents this season (No. 20 Jack Lin, No. 22 Gabriel Decamps, No. 58 Maxime Lapraille and No. 78 Aleks Kovacevic).
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Bryan Shelton:
On how team competed against Columbia…
"Our guys competed really hard today against a very good Columbia team. We played with great energy and attacked relentlessly. Looking forward to playing again tomorrow [against UNC]. Every match here is a quality match, which will help us get better. I'd like to dedicate this win to our good friend and Gator Great, Armistead Neely. One of the greatest Gator tennis players of all time, who is fighting a battle of his own! Keep fighting, Army!"
UP NEXT:
#3 University of Florida 4, #9 Columbia 0
Singles competition – 2, 3, 1 (Order of finish)
1. #23 Oliver Crawford (UF) def. #20 Jack Lin (COL) 6-1, 6-4
2. #4 Sam Riffice (UF) def. #109 Jackie Tang (COL) 6-3, 6-0
3. #11 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Rian Pandole (COL) 6-3, 6-1
4. Andy Andrade (UF) vs. Adam Ambrozy (COL) 7-6 (10-8), 1-0, unfinished
5. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) vs. Alex Kotzen (COL) 5-7, 3-1, unfinished
6. Blaise Bicknell (UF) vs. Austen Huang (COL) 6-3, 4-6, unfinished
Doubles competition – 3, 1 (Order of finish)
1. #13 Oliver Crawford/Sam Riffice (UF) def. #5 Jack Lin/Jackie Tang (COL) 6-4
2. #24 Will Grant/Johannes Ingildsen (UF) vs. Adam Ambrozy/Rian Pandole (COL) 6-5, unfinished
3. Duarte Vale/Josh Goodger (UF) def. Alex Kotzen/Jason Lui (COL) 6-3
The win additionally pushes an eight-match win streak for the blue and orange, as the last time UF notched an eight-match win streak within its first 11 matches was 1999.
Doubles was competitive from the start, as the Lions came out hungry to give UF its first doubles point loss of the season, though, UF would handle the attack in No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to yet again claim the 1-0 lead.
Juniors Duarte Vale and Josh Goodger climbed back from a 1-3 deficit to Columbia's Alex Kotzen and Jason Lui, tallying five-straight games to nab a 6-3 decision and push a seven-match win streak for the Gators' No. 3 tandem. Vale and Goodger have yet to be beaten in doubles action thus far, holding a 7-0 record.
The Gators then saw match points in both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, 5-4 and 6-5 respectively, though, No. 13-ranked Oliver Crawford and Sam Riffice managed to seal the deal with an impressive top-five win over fifth-ranked Jack Lin and Jackie Tang, 6-4, to complete doubles action.
UF then stormed out taking five of the six first sets in singles prior to sophomore Sam Riffice and juniors Duarte Vale and Oliver Crawford closing the match with straight-set wins respectively.
Prior to Florida's wins, first-year No. 112 Blaise Bicknell (6-3) and junior Andy Andrade (7-6 (8)) tallied first-set wins before No. 4 Riffice would blitz the Lions' No. 109 Tang in the second set of his match in No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-0, to extend the Gators lead to 2-0 early on.
No. 11 Vale remains a force in singles, going on to add his ninth dual win of the year with a straight-set win over Pandole in No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-1, to push his seventh straight win this season. Additionally, Vale sits at 5-1 from the No. 3 position.
No. 23 Crawford would then put the nail in the coffin, as the captain would deliver a straight-set 6-1, 6-4 loss in upsetting No. 20 Jack Lin to collect a top-20 ranked win and clinch the first-round victory for the Gators. Crawford moves to 4-1 from the top spot, as the victory also serves as his fourth win over top-80 ranked opponents this season (No. 20 Jack Lin, No. 22 Gabriel Decamps, No. 58 Maxime Lapraille and No. 78 Aleks Kovacevic).
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Bryan Shelton:
On how team competed against Columbia…
"Our guys competed really hard today against a very good Columbia team. We played with great energy and attacked relentlessly. Looking forward to playing again tomorrow [against UNC]. Every match here is a quality match, which will help us get better. I'd like to dedicate this win to our good friend and Gator Great, Armistead Neely. One of the greatest Gator tennis players of all time, who is fighting a battle of his own! Keep fighting, Army!"
UP NEXT:
- The Gators advance to face No. 5 North Carolina in Saturday's quarterfinals. UNC – the field's No. 4 seed – beat No. 14 South Carolina in its first round matchup, 4-2. First serve is slated for a 4:30 p.m. ET start.
#3 University of Florida 4, #9 Columbia 0
Singles competition – 2, 3, 1 (Order of finish)
1. #23 Oliver Crawford (UF) def. #20 Jack Lin (COL) 6-1, 6-4
2. #4 Sam Riffice (UF) def. #109 Jackie Tang (COL) 6-3, 6-0
3. #11 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Rian Pandole (COL) 6-3, 6-1
4. Andy Andrade (UF) vs. Adam Ambrozy (COL) 7-6 (10-8), 1-0, unfinished
5. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) vs. Alex Kotzen (COL) 5-7, 3-1, unfinished
6. Blaise Bicknell (UF) vs. Austen Huang (COL) 6-3, 4-6, unfinished
Doubles competition – 3, 1 (Order of finish)
1. #13 Oliver Crawford/Sam Riffice (UF) def. #5 Jack Lin/Jackie Tang (COL) 6-4
2. #24 Will Grant/Johannes Ingildsen (UF) vs. Adam Ambrozy/Rian Pandole (COL) 6-5, unfinished
3. Duarte Vale/Josh Goodger (UF) def. Alex Kotzen/Jason Lui (COL) 6-3
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Jack Lin / 0 (20/-) [COL]
14
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Jackie Tang / 0 (109/-) [COL]
30
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Rian Pandole / 0 [COL]
31
66
#4 Singles Match
123
Adam Ambrozy / 0 [COL]
600
71UF
#5 Singles Match
123
Alex Kotzen / 0 [COL]
710
53UF
#6 Singles Match
123
Austen Huang / 0 [COL]
360
64UF
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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