Jan. 31, 2010
Gainesville, Fla. – Eleventh-ranked Florida won four singles matches in straight sets, including the No. 1 position where seventh-ranked Alexandre Lacroix downed fourth-ranked Guillermo Gomez, and the Gators blanked No. 39 Georgia Tech, 7-0, Sunday in the second round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at Linder Stadium/Ring Tennis Complex.
The Gators (3-1) handed the Yellow Jackets (6-1) their first loss of the spring and advanced to the ITA National Indoor Championships in Charlottesville, Va., in two weeks. Tech’s next match is next Sunday (1 p.m.) at Georgia.
Florida began quickly by winning the doubles point, getting 8-4 wins from Billy Federhofer and Bob Van Overbeek over Miguel Muguruza and Juan Spir at No. 3 and 10th-ranked Antoine Benneteau and Lacroix over Gomez and Ryan Smith.
“Florida came out and did to us what we hoped to do to them,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “They took the match to us early in the doubles and got the momentum. We seemed to be a half step off in singles but that was due to the good play of Florida.”
Lacroix pushed Florida’s lead to 2-0 when Gomez retired with an ankle injury during the second set, trailing 6-1, 3-1. Overbeek took a 6-3, 6-1 win over Dean O’Brien at No. 3, and Benneteau defeated Dusan Miljevic in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, to clinch the match at No. 5.
Eliot Potvin took Sekou Bangoura, Jr., to three sets at No. 2 before suffering his first loss of the spring. Miguel Muguruza extended his match with Joey Burkhardt at No. 4 to three sets as well, but fell in a superset tiebreaker.
“We got hit hard today so it will be good to see us hit hard back in our next match,” Thorne added. “We have already played well this season so we simply have to respond positively as a team and take it to the practice court.”
Tennis Match Results
Georgia Tech vs Florida
Jan 31, 2010 at Gainesville, Fla.
#11 Florida 7, #39 Georgia Tech 0
Singles competition
1. #7 Alexandre Lacroix (FLA) def. #4 Guillermo Gomez (GT) 6-1, 3-1, retired
2. Sekou Bangoura, Jr. (FLA) def. Eliot Potvin (GT) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
3. Bob Van Overbeek (FLA) def. Dean O’Brien (GT) 6-3, 6-1
4. Joey Burkhardt (FLA) def. Miguel Muguruza (GT) 6-0, 5-7, 1-0 (11-9)
5. Antoine Benneteau (FLA) def. Dusan Miljevic (GT) 6-0, 6-2
6. Nassan Slilam (FLA) def. Magin Ortiga (GT) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #10 Antoine Benneteau/Alexandre Lacroix (FLA) def. Guillermo Gomez/Ryan Smith (GT) 8-4
2. Dean O’Brien/Eliot Potvin (GT) vs. Sekou Bangoura, Jr./Joey Burkhardt (FLA) no result
3. Billy Federhofer/Bob Van Overbeek (FLA) def. Miguel Muguruza/Juan Spir (GT) 8-4
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 6-1; National ranking #39
Florida 3-1; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (1,3,5,6,4,2)
T-3:30
