Doubles teams spark Florida men past Miami

The No. 11 Florida Gators men’s tennis team swept the doubles competition on its way to a 5-2 victory over No. 24 Miami Sunday on the courts of Linder Stadium at the Ring Tennis Complex. More than 300 fans attended.

The No. 23-ranked doubles team of freshman Joey Burkhardt of St. Augustine and redshirt junior Antoine Benneteau of France jumped out to a 4-0 lead on way to an 8-2 victory over Miami’s Daniel Vallerdu and Carl Sundberg. Freshman Carlos Cueto of Spain and sophomore Alex Lacroix of Paris then beat Miami’s Keith Crowley and David Rosenfeld, 9-7, to clinch the doubles point. Moments later, sophomores Jeff Dadamo of Tampa and Johnny Hamui of Wesley Chapel finished off a 9-7 victory over Miami’s David Simon and Christian Bloecker.

Dadamo needed less than an hour to give Florida a 2-0 lead with his 6-1, 6-1 victory over Keith Crowley. Cueto, ranked No. 24, then defeated Bloecker, 6-4, 6-1 for a 3-0 lead, and shortly afterward, No. 21 Lacroix provided the clinching point with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Miami’s David Rosenfeld.

“We had a very good match today,” Florida coach Andy Jackson said. “Our team is gaining confidence and that is good as we prepare for the upcoming SEC season.”

The Gators return to action on Tuesday, March 3 at No. 16 Florida State. The match begins at 5 p.m.

FLORIDA 5, MIAMI 2

Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex

Doubles: 1. Antoine Benneteau-Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Daniel Vallverdu-Carl Sundberg, 8-2; 2. Jeff Dadamo-Johnny Hamui (UF) def. David Simon-Christian Bloecker, 9-7; 3. Carlos Cueto-Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Keith Crowley-David Rosenfeld, 9-7.

Singles: 1. Carlos Cueto (UF) def. Christian Bloecker, 6-4, 6-1; 2. Alex Lacroix (UF) def. David Rosenfeld, 6-2, 6-3; 3. Antoine Benneteau (UF) def. Ignacio Toboada, 6-4, 6-2; 4. David Simon (M) def. Joey Burkhardt, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6); 5. Carl Sundberg (M) def. Johnny Hamui, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5); 6. Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Keith Crowley, 6-1, 6-1.

Records: Florida 7-3, Miami 4-3. Order of finish: Doubles, 1, 3, 2; singles, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

WOMEN’S GOLF: Sophomore Jessica Yadloczky of Casselberry shot a 1-over-par 73 to lead the Florida women’s golf team to a share of eighth place after the first round of the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate tournament at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Playing the first round on the par-72, 6,009-yard Cougar Point course, the Gators find themselves nine shots behind co-leaders Miami (Fla.) and East Tennessee State, which totaled 12-over-par totals of 300 while also playing Cougar Point. Oral Roberts was third at 15-over 303, Mississippi was fourth at 17-over 305 and Western Carolina and UCF were tied for fifth at 18-over 306. Host College of Charleston was seventh at 307 and the Gators were tied with Nebraska at 21-over 309.

All of the top nine schools in the 43-team event played the Cougar Point course. Central Arkansas, which was tied with Oregon at 22-over 310, played the par-72, 5,907-yard Oak Point Golf Club.

The tournament is the largest women’s collegiate event of the year, featuring more than 200 golfers.

Yadloczky’s 73 was the best round recorded by coach Jill Briles-Hinton’s Gators by four shots. Freshman Andrea Watts of Bradenton shot a 5-over 77 and was tied for 35th. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Uzelatz of Lakeland followed with a 7-over 79 which left her in a tie for 64th place. Freshman Evan Jensen of Belleair shot an 8-over 80 for a tie for 84th, and redshirt sophomore Nicole Schachner of Libertyville, Ill., shot a 12-over 84 and was tied for 139th.

UCF’s Stephanie Connelly shot a 2-under-par 70 to hold the individual lead over Miami’s Begona Sarabia, Nebraska’s Mary Kate Bird and UNC Wilmington’s Sofia Hagsund, who had 72s. Yadloczky was tied for fifth with six other players – UCF’s Elisa Aoki, Oral Roberts’ Christy Carter, Mississippi’s Dori Carter, Maryland’s Jessica Hollandsworth, Charleston’s Steffi Kirchmayr and East Tennessee State’s Nia Muehl. All of those rounds came on the Cougar Point course. The best score on the Oak Point Golf Club course was the 2-over 74 recorded by Central Arkansas’ Nicole Forshner.

The second round of the tournament is today with the tournament concluding Tuesday.