Florida set the tone for the weekend after its third straight win in the Southeastern Conference.
After a victorious weekend at Ring Tennis Complex a week ago, the No. 15 Gators were not ready to let the two-game winning streak come to an end, sweeping Arkansas 4-0 on Friday in Fayetteville.
UF doubles duo Maxx Lipman and Elliott Orkin clinched the doubles point for the Gators 6-3 after UF’s leading doubles pair Oliver Landert and Josh Wardell defeated Arkansas’ Giammarco Micolani and Jovan Parlic on court No. 3.
Florida has won the doubles point in its last three outings, Landert and Wardell have clinched two of the last three doubles decisions for Florida and have won their respective doubles match in three of the last four matches.
But the team wasn’t only looking for a doubles victory.
The Gators continued the rally going into singles play and shut out the Razorbacks 4-0 to complete the match.
Sophomore Orkin brought in the final singles point for the Gators after going into a tie-break in his first set of the match (7-5,6-2).
Junior Gordon Watson and true freshman Chase Perez-Blanco earned the two other singles point against Arkansas on Friday.
Perez-Blanco still leads the Gators in SEC singles play. Friday’s match marked the freshman’s 10th dual singles point for the season and his fifth in the SEC.
Despite individual records, the victory was team effort.
“I’m proud of our guys in todays win,” coach Bryan Shelton said. “I was very impressed with how Elliott, Chase and Gordon were able to finish when the pressure mounted. Those guys just stuck to their plan and executed. Oliver and Josh did a tremendous job bringing great energy throughout both doubles and singles today. It was another team victory.”
The Gators plan to keep the hot streak alive in its upcoming match against No. 13 Ole Miss on Sunday at noon in Oxford, Mississippi.
Follow Caylee Underwood on Twitter @CayUnderwood
Chase Perez-Blanco hits the ball during Florida's 4-2 win against Alabama on Friday at the Ring Tennis Complex.
