Alabama Men's Tennis Downed by Florida, 5-2
3/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala - The second-ranked Florida Gators (16-3, 7-0 SEC) proved to be too much for the No. 16 Crimson Tide (13-6, 2-5 SEC) on Friday as the Gators notched a 5-2 victory at Tuscaloosa's Varsity Courts on a beautiful Friday afternoon.
After losing the doubles point Alabama tied the match at 1-1 briefly. The Tide's first point of the match came at No. 3 singles where junior Chris Gostek downed Florida's Troy Hahn 6-3, 6-0 to claim his 14th singles win of the dual season, which is second-most on the team behind junior Christian Brodersen. Brodersen got the Tide's second point at No. 5 singles after the dual match outcome had been decided. He now has 15 singles wins on the year.
Combining singles and doubles play, Gostek has recorded 24 wins on the season to lead the team. After Alabama's two points today, Florida has outscored Southeastern Conference opponents by a total of 40-9 this season.
In doubles play, Alabama was up 7-6 on courts one and three with a good shot at winning the doubles point. Florida, however, withstood the challenge, winning 9-7 on court two and 9-8 on court three. The momentum from the doubles comeback win propelled Florida to win the first set in five of the six singles matches and the Gators never looked back.
"I was pleased with how we competed today, we played reasonably well," Alabama head coach Billy Pate said. "We simply couldn't quite convert when we needed to have a chance to win the match.
"Florida is one of the best teams in the nation and deservedly so, and when you play teams of that caliber you have to bring your A-game."
Alabama will look for a win on Sunday as they host No. 18 South Carolina in the final home match of the season. The match begins at 1 p.m. at Varsity Courts and there will be a presentation honoring Alabama's seven seniors between doubles and singles play.
No. 2 Florida 5, No. 16 Alabama 2
Doubles
1. Mirzadeh/Chris McDonald (FLA) d. Belski/Hiscox (UA) 9-7
2. Levant/Maggallan (FLA) d. Mitchell/ Bradley Friedman (UA) 8-5
3. Behrmann/Hahn(FLA) d. William Boyles/Gostek (UA) 9-8
Singles
1. Hamid Mirzadeh (FLA, #28) d. Maxim Belski (UA, #75) 6-3, 6-3
2. Janne Holmia (FLA, #5) d. Stephen Mitchell (UA) 6-2, 7-6
3. Chris Gostek (UA,#91) d. Troy Hahn (FLA) 6-3, 6-0
4. Olivier Levant (FLA, #78) d. Geoff Hiscox (UA) 6-4, 7-5
5. Christian Brodersen (UA) d. Eleazar Magallan (FLA, #107) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
6. Matt Behrmann (FLA) d. Michael Ray Pallares (UA) 6-3, 6-4
*clinched match
