FINAL RESULTS (PDF)
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15 University of Florida women's tennis team (11-6, 9-3) registered a 4-2 victory over visiting No. 19 Vanderbilt Saturday afternoon at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex, securing its sixth-straight win and sending seniors McCartney Kessler and Ida Jarlskog off on a high note in what was their final regular season match in Gainesville.
 
Despite dropping the doubles point, the Gators reigned supreme with four singles wins as they came out on top for the ninth time in SEC play. 
 
On a day where they were honored in a pre-match ceremony, No. 7 Kessler and Jarlskog both collected crucial singles victories. Teammates Sydney Berlin and Layne Sleeth also provided wins from their courts in UF's seventh victory at home in 2021.
 
The sophomore Sleeth notched her second match clinching win of the season, adding the deciding 6-3, 6-2 victory from court four. Sleeth and the senior Jarlskog both registered a singles and a doubles win.
 
Kessler and Jarlskog, both mainstays at the top courts for the Gators during their time, collected their 82^nd and 69^th career wins, respectively.
 
Taking on its 13th nationally-ranked opponent this season and 10th straight, UF snapped a three-match against Commodores (12-7, 4-7) and defeated a ranked for foe for the ninth time.
 
For the second time in as many matches, the Gators saw their opponent secure the doubles point as the Commodores notched wins on courts one and three. Court three was the first to finish as Vandy's Christina Rosca and Anessa Lee defeated Berlin and Sara Dahlstrom by a score of 6-2. Florida evened the doubles score at 1-1 when Sleeth and Jarlskog posted a 6-2 victory on court two, collecting their fifth-straight victory. Despite battling back from a 4-0 deficit, No. 2 Kessler and Marlee Zein came up just short at 6-4 to No. 54 Anna Ross and Holly Staff. The Gator pairing showed great resolve to tighten their matchup late, but couldn't complete the comeback as the Commodores jumped out to a 1-0 edge.
 
After dropping the doubles point, Florida would need to lock in wins on four of the six singles courts for the second-straight contest. Once again, its focus and execution were strong to begin singles as Florida claimed first sets on four of the six courts.
 
VU was the first to score in singles though as Lee handed Dahlstrom a defeat in straight sets. The Gators notched a win in response not too long after when Jarlskog put the finishing touches on a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Ross on court three. The energetic senior collected her fourth-straight victory and cut UF's overall deficit in half at 2-1, equipping the Gators' with some serious momentum.
 
The steady contributor Berlin knotted the score at 2-2 when she polished off a two-set win on court six. The junior, winning for the fifth-straight time, came out on top 6-3, 6-4 over Amanda Meyer.
 
With the score tied at 2-2, Kessler recorded a pivotal 6-3, 7-5 on court one to put the Gators ahead. The senior stalwart extended her dual match record to an impressive 12-2.
 
From court four, Sleeth finished off a 6-3, 6-2 masterpiece to push her dual match mark to 7-1 and propel the Gators to a memorable senior day victory. 
 
No. 36 Zein battled back after dropping her opening set, but saw her contest go unfinished at 5-7, 6-2, 1-1 on the second court to Emma Kurtz.
 
UP NEXT: The Gators wrap up their 2021 dual match campaign on the road on Saturday, April 10 at South Carolina.
 
No. 15 Florida 4, No. 19 Vanderbilt 2

Doubles Results
No. 54 Anna Ross and Holly Staff def No. 2 McCartney Kessler and Marlee Zein (UF), 6-4
Ida Jarlskog and Layne Sleeth (UF) def. No. 58 Emma Kurtz and Marcella Cruz, 6-2
Christina Rosca and Anessa Lee def. Sydney Berlin and Sara Dahlstrom (UF), 6-2

Doubles order of finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles Results
No. 7 McCartney Kessler (UF) def. No. 49 Christina Rosca, 6-3, 7-5
No. 36 Marlee Zein (UF) vs. Emma Kurtz, 5-7, 6-2, 1-1 (Unfinished)
Ida Jarlskog (UF) def. Anna Ross, 6-1, 6-4
Layne Sleeth (UF) def. Holly Staff, 6-3, 6-2
Anessa Lee def. No. 111 Sara Dahlstrom (UF),  6-1, 6-2
Sydney Berlin  (UF) def. Amanda Meyer, 6-3, 6-4

Singles order of finish: 5, 3, 6, 1, 4
 
Quotes from the Court
Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Overall thoughts on the match…
"On a day like today where the weather is perfect and everybody has been playing well up until this point, we just really wanted to play well for the seniors. There's some extra passion to it. Clearly there was some emotion before the match, I think perhaps that spilled into play early in our doubles. You can't help it. These two (McCartney Kessler and Ida Jarlskog) are true Florida Gators. They have given everything they have to the program and I know that everybody wants to re-pay them by getting a win today."  

Senior McCartney Kessler
On her career with the Gators and today's match…
"It's definitely been the best four years of my life. It's been so fun competing with such a great team with great coaches at a great facility. It's been awesome. I think we all kind of knew we could do better in doubles and so that gave us some extra motivation starting off in singles. We wanted to show them that we are dominant and that we are here to play too."

Senior Ida Jarlskog
On her career with the Gators…
"It has meant a lot, I feel like I have developed my tennis game and developed as a person. I've been around these amazing people and I am just so grateful that I got the opportunity to be here and grow as a person."

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