CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 11 Florida men’s tennis team was ousted from the ITA National Team Indoor Championship by No. 3 Ohio State Saturday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The Buckeyes prevailed, 4-3.
“Ohio State was just a little stronger than us today,” Florida coach Andy Jackson said. “We were disappointed to lose, but I was pleased that we had the grit to be in a position where we had a chance to win.”
The Gators won the doubles point with victories at No. 1 (the 10th-rated team of Antoine Benneteau and Alexandre Lacroix) and No. 3 (Daniel Cash and Bob Van Overbeek). Both won in tiebreakers – Benneteau and Lacroix 9-8 (7) and Cash and Van Overbeek 9-8 (3).
Benneteau (No. 3) and Nassim Slilam (No. 6) gave Florida its two singles victories. Benneteau is now 7-0 in singles play.
ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP
At Boar’s Head Sports Club, Charlottesville, Va.
No. 3 OHIO STATE 4, No. 11 FLORIDA 3
Doubles
1. (10) Antoine Benneteau/Alexandre Lacroix (F) def. Buchanan/Kronauge, 9-8 (7); 2. Dino Marcan-Balazs Novak (OSU) def. Sekou Bangoura Jr.-Joey Burkhardt, 8-6; 3. Daniel Cash-Bob Van Overbeek (F) def. Matt Allare-Shuhei Uzawa, 9-8 (3). Order of finish: 2, 3, 1.
Singles
1. (103) Chase Buchanan (OSU) def. (7) Alexandre Lacroix, 6-2, 6-4; 2. Justin Kronauge (OSU) def. Joey Burkhardt, 6-1, 6-3; 3. Antoine Benneteau (F) def. Dino Marcan, 6-1, 6-1; 4. (34) Shuhei Uzawa (OSU) def. Bob Van Overbeek, 6-4, 7-5; 5. Balazs Novak (OSU) def. Sekou Bangoura Jr., 6-1, 6-2; 6. Nassim Slilam (F) def. Matt Allare, 6-2, 6-1. Order of finish: 6, 3, 1, 2, 5, 4.