The winning streak has come to an end.
After back-to-back victories, the No. 15 Gators men's tennis team fell to No. 13 Ole Miss 4-0 on Sunday afternoon in Oxford, Mississippi.
Florida (9-6, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) dropped its second doubles match of its SEC season against Ole Miss (12-4, 4-1 SEC) to start the singles matches at a 1-0 disadvantage.
With Sunday’s setback, Florida has proven that doubles is a key component of the team’s success.
After doubles duo Maxx Lipman and Elliott Orkin dropped its match 6-1 to the Rebels’ Zvonimir Babic and Nik Scholtz, Florida crumbled.
No. 72 doubles pair Oliver Landert and Josh Wardell couldn't clinch their match after going into a tie-break with Ole Miss’ Grey Hamilton and William Kallberg.
After losing the doubles point for the second time in SEC play, the Gators couldn't keep the energy alive in singles.
With only three courts available to play, courts four through six were unable to get the advantages that a regular six-court field has to offer.
And with the top three courts unable to get the job done, the Gators were in trouble.
Lipman, the sophomore captain, fell in straight sets to put the Gators down 2-0.
Orkin followed with a loss in singles in straight sets against No. 82 Stefan Lindmark (6-4, 6-3).
No. 64 Diego Hidalgo battled on court No. 1 for the Gators.
But the junior couldn’t bring the Gators to level ground after dropping his last set 6-0.
"Ole Miss played very well today," coach Bryan Shelton said in a release. "It was unfortunate that our Nos. 4, 5, and 6 singles players didn’t get a chance to play."
The Gators finish up their three-game road swing with a trip to Auburn to face the Tigers.
Follow Caylee Underwood on Twitter @CayUnderwood
Redshirt freshman Oliver Landert hits a jump-step forehand during Florida's 9-3 win against William & Mary on Jan. 10 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
