The game ball shot back-and-forth, rainbowed toward the sky, and then eventually spiked down with a vengeance from junior Ida Jarlskog.
The match concluded after two hours, and liters of sweat on the floor proved the grit the Gators displayed.
While the women’s team offed Texas A&M for their second upset in a row, the men rode high back to Gainesville after they added to their win streak.
From one corner to the other, junior Marlee Zein pulled out all the stocks with countless split-saves and clever ball placements to outsmart No. 64 Tatiana Makarova. The two opponents matched each other in their aggressive play, which led to chaos and multiple lead changes.
Zein eventually controlled the chaos as well as her final spike, which landed in the back-left corner and beyond the Makarova’s reach.
The titter tatter on the scoreboard changed throughout the day for Zein, junior Ida Jarlskog and senior McCartney Kessler. Their duels proceeded into three sets and combined for more than 20 lead swaps.
Texas A&M almost snuck away with the doubles point until No. 26 duo Zein and Kessler toppled A&M’s Makarova and Jayci Goldsmith. In the huddle or during play, Zein and Kessler’s success stems from communication. They loudly call their shots and embrace after every point.
While the ITA stripped the Florida women’s team of a top-25 spot Feb. 24, the Gators shrugged it off and found themselves on a positive trend. Sunday’s upset over the Aggies is their second consecutive win, something head coach Roland Thornqvist is satisfied with.
Thornqvist said he was pleased with how his team performed.
“With the way (the team) they compete, they're just beasts for us,” he happily stated. “Overall fantastic weekend for us. I feel like we have gotten better, not just in terms of forehands and backhands, but also mentally.”
The team now prepares to travel to Athens, Georgia, March 5 for their evening dual against the Bulldogs at 5 p.m.
The Gators hope to see no end to their upward trend since their lone loss to Texas Jan. 23. Since then, Florida took off on a winning rampage for five straight matches.
No. 68 Blaise Bicknell, who has been on annihilation mode since the start of the season, is on the ride along for the five game streak. Bicknell is the only player on the squad with a perfect singles record at 7-0.
Bicknell easily handled No. 116 Noah Schacter in a two-set 6-2, 6-4 rout. The first set nearly ended in a six-point shutout, but Schacter kept himself alive to force two deuces in a row and soften the deficit.
Captain couple Duarte Vale and Sam Riffice’s win streak came to a close when they lost their grip in Sunday’s matchup. Although they claimed their solo wins, they folded against No. 48 Carlos Aguilar and Bjorn Thompson.
The battle ensued neck-to-neck until Aguilar and Thompson huddled up to adjust the game plan. They spotted Riffice’s backcourt weakness and aimed every shot up with full power.
The all-time series between the Gators and Aggies now improved to 9-3. Florida will face bitter rival Georgia Bulldogs, who travel to Gainesville Friday. The match will stream on FloridaGators.com.
Contact Jesse Richardson at jrichardson@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @JesseRich352
