Florida men’s tennis looked poised and unfazed facing a red-hot New Orleans team fresh off one of their most productive seasons in program history.
The No. 2-seeded Gators (23-2, 12-0 SEC) spoiled the Privateers (16-6, 2-1 SLC) first appearance in the NCAA tournament in decisive fashion Friday, 4-0.
New Orleans entered Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex with a stellar resume, including winning their first Southland Championship while senior Marcel Volz claimed Southland Player of the Year.
These imposing accolades were not enough to defeat a superior and experienced UF team, as stellar doubles play propelled Florida ahead early.
The pair of sophomore sensation, SEC Player of the Year Ben Shelton and senior Sam Riffice did not disappoint as they secured a 6-2 victory against Privateer sophomore Espen Lagarde and senior Amos Kotorman.
Senior Andy Andrade and graduate senior Matthias Siimar let their veteran experience shine for UF, defeating sophomores Max Heinzel and Luke Joujan, 6-2. Florida freshman Nate Bonnetto and senior Duarte Vale finished off the sweep for the Gators, overpowering freshman Mathew Armbuster and Volz by the same score.
Not much changed for the Privateers in singles play, as Florida made easy work of their competitors.
Notably, Riffice annihilated Heinzel, 6-0, 6-1 while senior Josh Goodger clinched the match with a straight-set victory, 6-1, 6-1.
“I think a lot of people can fall under the trap of we’re the number two seed in the first round we're expected to win,” Goodger said. “But I think that in our program, we don’t take anything for granted.”
This first round battle saw Andrade secure his 200th overall career win. Head coach Bryan Shelton reflected fondly on Andrade’s talent and ability on the court.
“Two hundred wins doesn’t come easy,” Shelton said. “Not too many guys achieve that, so what he’s done here has been simply amazing.”
The Gators now prepare for a second-round matchup against Miami Saturday to advance to the round of 16.
This high-stakes contest is set to begin at 5 p.m. at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
Contact Brenda Bogle at bbogle@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @bogle_brenda.
Brenda Bogle is a UF journalism senior with a specialization in sports and media. She joined The Alligator in the Fall of 2021.
