Gators Advance to ITA Kick-Off Championship Round

Saturday, January 29

Gainesville, Fla.

2 PM

Florida Gators

Princeton

Gators Advance to ITA Kick-Off Championship Round

Saturday, January 29, 2022 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Casey Montalvo

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Putting together their second sweep in a row, the No. 3 Florida Gators men's tennis team overtook the Princeton Tigers, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon to advance to the ITA Kick-Off Weekend championship match at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.

Thanks to solid doubles play to start the match, the Gators were able to clinch the doubles point and take a 1-0 lead. The No. 55 duo of Nate Bonetto and Lukas Greif made their 2022 season dual match debut together, taking on Princeton's Matthew Bosancic and Bill Duo, and winning decisively, 6-2, on court three.

At court two, the Tigers' pairing of Will Peters and Ryan Seggerman defeated Gators Abedallah Shelbayh and Duarte Vale, 6-3, to even the playing field. It all came down to court one where Florida's Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton faced Princeton's Karl Poling and Damian Rodriguez. The Gators tandem tied the Tigers in a close match, 4-4, before claiming the next two games to clinch the doubles point, 6-4.

Going up 1-0, Florida was able to win three singles matches in a row to complete their second sweep in just a week.

No. 2 Shelton gave the Gators their second point of the match after dominating his opposition at court three. Taking on Peters, Shelton bageled the Tiger in the first set, 6-0, before winning his match with a 6-3 second set.

At court one, senior captain Riffice claimed the third point for Florida not even a minute after Shelton finished his. Riffice put together a solid outing, only allowing Princeton's Ryan Seggerman to win four games, as he defeated the Tiger in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.

The match was clinched thanks to a victory at court six from Will Grant in straight sets. Taking on Matthew Bosancic, Grant made his dual match debut of the 2022 season and was able to seal the Florida sweep with a 6-3, 6-4 win.

Three other Gators were leading their matches when the point was clinched. At court two, Vale was up 7-5, 2-3 on Rodriguez, at court four, No. 107 Andrade was ahead of Duo, 6-4, 4-3, and at court five, Greif led Filippos Astreinidis, 6-3, 4-3.

Florida is set to play in the championship match against Florida State tomorrow at 2 p.m. The consolation match between UNCW and Princeton will be moved up an hour to an 11 a.m. start time.

SINGLES RESULTS
1. Sam Riffice (UF) def. Ryan Seggerman (PRIN), 6-1, 6-3
2. Duarte Vale (UF) vs. Damian Rodriguez (PRIN), 7-5, 2-3, unfinished
3. #2 Ben Shelton (UF) def. Will Peters (PRIN,) 6-0, 6-3
4. #107 Andy Andrade (UF) vs. Bill Duo (PRIN), 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
5. Lukas Greif (UF) vs. Filippos Astreinidis (PRIN), 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
6. Will Grant (UF) def. Matthew Bosancic (PRIN), 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 6

DOUBLES RESULTS
1. Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) def. Karl Poling/Damian Rodriguez (PRIN), 6-4
2. Will Peters/Ryan Seggerman (PRIN) def. Abedallah Shelbayh/Duarte Vale (UF), 6-3
3. #55 Nate Bonetto/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Matthew Bosancic/Bill Duo (PRIN), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1

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