With the Alabama sun beating down upon them, Florida’s McCartney Kessler and Auburn’s Georgie Axon found themselves in the middle of a back-and-forth slugfest.
Kessler won a hard-fought first set 7-6 and was tied with Axon at six games apiece in the second.
But after one of Axon’s balls didn’t clear the net, it was finally over.
Kessler won the grueling battle 7-6, 7-6 and clinched the Gators’ third victory in a row on Saturday.
Florida (12-5, 6-1 SEC) defeated the Tigers (16-7, 4-3 SEC) at the Yarbrough Tennis Center 4-1, finishing its four-match road stretch with a 3-1 record.
Doubles play started off sour for the Gators, with Auburn’s Jaeda Daniel and Andie Dikosavljevic taking the first victory against senior Peggy Porter and freshman Katie Kubicz 6-3. UF answered quickly, as the duo of senior Anna Danilina and freshman Victoria Emma defeated Auburn’s Axon and Caroline Turner 6-2. The last doubles match came down to the wire at 6-6, but it was senior Josie Kuhlman and Kessler that came away with the victory, winning 7-6 to clinch UF’s seventh doubles point in its previous eight matches.
Once singles play began, the Tigers answered, with Auburn’s Taylor Russo defeating Emma 6-3, 6-3. Danilina quickly put Florida back on top, however, besting Daniel by a score of 6-3, 6-3. Kubicz extended Florida’s lead further, winning a dominant second set to pull off a 7-6, 6-1 victory. Auburn’s fate was sealed on Court 4 when Kessler defeated Axon, her third-clinching match in UF’s last four wins.
The Gators’ will finally compete at home again after 13 of their previous 15 matches were held away from Gainesville. Florida will face Arkansas on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Missouri next Saturday at 11 a.m.
Follow River Wells on Twitter @riverhwells and contact him at rwells@alligator.org.
Freshman McCartney Kessler defeated Auburn's Georgie Axon 7-6, 7-6 on Saturday, clinching Florida's third consecutive victory.
