Junior Sydney Berlin has enjoyed a strong season, going 11-4 in dual match singles.
Gators Begin SEC Tournament Play Wednesday
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 | Women's Tennis
Women’s tennis set for quarterfinal matchup in Tuscaloosa.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After earning a double bye, the second-seeded University of Florida women's tennis team (12-6, 10-3) begins its journey at the SEC Tournament Wednesday, April 21 at 4 p.m. ET in the event's quarterfinal round at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
The Gators take on seventh-seeded South Carolina after the Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt on Tuesday.
All matches will be streamed live on RollTIde.com and Friday's championship match will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.
The Gators, ranked No. 13 nationally, enter the conference tournament with momentum at their backs as they closed out the regular season with seven-consecutive victories. After opening the season 3-3 in league play, UF finished 10-3 and in sole possession of second place in the SEC standings.
Florida's singles play has been strong all season long as it carries a 55-28 mark overall in dual match play. Four Gators enter the postseason with winning streaks of five or more matches including No. 8 McCartney Kessler, who has won her last seven and is 13-2 competing at No. 1 for UF. Junior Sydney Berlin is second on the club with 11 dual match wins and has won her last six. Both Ida Jarlskog (8-3) and Layne Sleeth (8-1) have won their last five matches. No. 8 Kessler, No. 44 Marlee Zein and No. 71 Layne Sleeth represent the Gators in the national rankings.
In doubles, Florida features two ranked tandems in No. 4 Kessler and Zein and No. 73 Jarlskog and Sleeth. Kessler and Zein, Florida's No. 1 duo, are 9-5 on the season with five wins over ranked opponents. After joining forces mid-way through the campaign, Jarlskog and Sleeth are a perfect 5-0 at Florida's second court.
Florida looks to add to its illustrious history in the league's postseason tournament as it has collected 20 SEC Tournament Championships including 11 since 2000. The Gators have finished runner-up seven times and boast a 78-12 record all time in the event. UF's last appearance in the SEC Tournament finale was 2018 and its last tournament title came in 2016.
UF concluded its regular season with victories over No. 19 Vanderbilt and at No. 24 South Carolina in succession. The Gators hold a 45-4 edge overall over South Carolina, including an 8-1 mark in SEC Tournament play.
No. 27 South Carolina, which was pegged No. 14 in the ITA's preseason rankings, finished in a three-way tie for sixth place in the SEC standing at 7-6. When the teams last met on April 13, Florida and South Carolina entered the contest with identical six-match winning streaks, but it was the visiting Gators who held on for the 4-2 victory. USC boasts three ranked singles players in No. 50 Mia Horvit, No. 53 Megan Davies and No. 84 Emma Shelton and one ranked doubles duo in No. 23 Horvit and Davies.
With a win Wednesday, Florida would secure a spot in the semifinal round and play at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
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The Gators take on seventh-seeded South Carolina after the Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt on Tuesday.
| MATCH INFO |
|---|
| Date | Wednesday, April 21 |
| Time | 4 p.m. ET |
| Matchup | No. 2 seed Florida (12-6, 10-3) vs. No. 7 seed South Carolina (10-10, 7-6) |
| Location | Alabama Tennis Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| Live Stats | Here |
| Live Video | Here |
| Match Notes | Florida |
| Tournament Central | Here |
All matches will be streamed live on RollTIde.com and Friday's championship match will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.
The Gators, ranked No. 13 nationally, enter the conference tournament with momentum at their backs as they closed out the regular season with seven-consecutive victories. After opening the season 3-3 in league play, UF finished 10-3 and in sole possession of second place in the SEC standings.
Florida's singles play has been strong all season long as it carries a 55-28 mark overall in dual match play. Four Gators enter the postseason with winning streaks of five or more matches including No. 8 McCartney Kessler, who has won her last seven and is 13-2 competing at No. 1 for UF. Junior Sydney Berlin is second on the club with 11 dual match wins and has won her last six. Both Ida Jarlskog (8-3) and Layne Sleeth (8-1) have won their last five matches. No. 8 Kessler, No. 44 Marlee Zein and No. 71 Layne Sleeth represent the Gators in the national rankings.
In doubles, Florida features two ranked tandems in No. 4 Kessler and Zein and No. 73 Jarlskog and Sleeth. Kessler and Zein, Florida's No. 1 duo, are 9-5 on the season with five wins over ranked opponents. After joining forces mid-way through the campaign, Jarlskog and Sleeth are a perfect 5-0 at Florida's second court.
Florida looks to add to its illustrious history in the league's postseason tournament as it has collected 20 SEC Tournament Championships including 11 since 2000. The Gators have finished runner-up seven times and boast a 78-12 record all time in the event. UF's last appearance in the SEC Tournament finale was 2018 and its last tournament title came in 2016.
UF concluded its regular season with victories over No. 19 Vanderbilt and at No. 24 South Carolina in succession. The Gators hold a 45-4 edge overall over South Carolina, including an 8-1 mark in SEC Tournament play.
No. 27 South Carolina, which was pegged No. 14 in the ITA's preseason rankings, finished in a three-way tie for sixth place in the SEC standing at 7-6. When the teams last met on April 13, Florida and South Carolina entered the contest with identical six-match winning streaks, but it was the visiting Gators who held on for the 4-2 victory. USC boasts three ranked singles players in No. 50 Mia Horvit, No. 53 Megan Davies and No. 84 Emma Shelton and one ranked doubles duo in No. 23 Horvit and Davies.
With a win Wednesday, Florida would secure a spot in the semifinal round and play at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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