The Gators seem to be on an upward trend after solid victories Friday night. The student-athletes can rest for a day before going into their Sunday bouts with Arkansas and Mississippi State.
The men’s team boasts an early undefeated streak against SEC opponents this season. The women, however, struggle to keep their win percentage above half.
The Gators will rehab the aches and pains that came out of the previous night Saturday. Three of the six singles matches went into a third set until junior Marlee Zein clinched her match to follow up on her comeback in the second.
Zein not only scavenges for an additional singles win but can also improve her and doubles partner McCartney Kessler’s nine-match streak. Kessler and Zein constantly claim deciding points for the final score.
Arkansas remained mostly homecourt as the trek to Gainesville becomes the Razorbacks’ third away contest. Their most recent trip to Columbia, South Carolina, resulted in a 4-0 sweep from the Gamecocks.
The first serve for doubles play is set for Sunday at noon from Linder Stadium. Live video and stats will stream on FloridaGators.com.
Both teams earned their mark as top-25 competitors in the ITA ranks after drowning elite opponents week in and week out.
Freshman Nemanja Malesevic, who boasts 27 wins, leads Mississippi State in wins. His teammate Carles Hernandez sits comfortably with a 10-4 singles record.
Since 1969, the all-time series between the Bulldogs and Florida stands at 37-19. In the last two battles, the Bulldogs found themselves at the top of the hill. In 2020, the meeting scheduled for March 22 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first serve is set for 1 p.m. from Starkville, Mississippi. The action will stream on FloridaGators.com with video and stats.
Contact Jesse Richardson at jrichardson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @JesseRich352.
