CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 11 Florida avenged its only loss of the spring semester with a 4-2 victory over No. 6 Baylor in the round of 16 in the 2010 ITA National Indoor Championships Friday at the University of Virginia’s Boar’s Head Sports Club.
The Gators survived three singles matches going to the third set and the doubles point coming down to a tiebreaker on the first court. Florida (5-1) meets No. 3 Ohio State Saturday at 9 a.m.
“It’s clear that we’ve made significant progress since three weeks ago,” Florida coach Andy Jackson said. “We’re very excited to beat Baylor. They’ve added a new player to their lineup since our first match, so they are even better now than they were when we played them in Waco.”
Sekou Bangoura Jr. and Joey Burkhardt provided the first win of the day at No. 2 doubles, but Baylor responded with a victory of its own at No. 3. However, 10th-ranked Antoine Benneteau and Alexandre Lacroix pulled out a 9-8 (3) win at first doubles to clinch the point for the Gators. After losing the first point of the tiebreaker, the Florida team rattled off six consecutive points and went on to clinch the doubles point for the Gators.
Florida once again received strong singles play from Benneteau, who posted a straight-sets win at No. 3 singles to give Florida a 2-1 lead after Bob Van Overbeek came up short on the fourth court. Florida’s other two victories came from Bangoura at No. 5 singles and Nassim Slilam at No. 6 singles – both in three sets.
“(Bangoura) Jr. played fantastic as the match wore on,” Jackson observed. “Nassim played the same guy who basically crushed him three weeks ago, and he has obviously made progress in his transition since then.”
The match at No. 1 singles between Florida’s seventh-ranked Lacroix and Baylor’s Denes Lukacs was suspended once the Gators clinched. At the time play was stopped, the third set was on serve after three games.
ITA MEN’S NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Boar’s Head Sports Club, Charlottesville, Va.
No. 11 FLORIDA 4, No. 6 BAYLOR 2
Doubles
1. (10) Antoine Benneteau-Alexandre Lacroix (F) vs. Roberto Maytin-Jordan Rux, 9-8 (3); 2. Sekou Bangoura-Joey Burkhardt (F) def. Maros Horny-Denes Lukacs, 8-5; 3. (38) Julian Bley-Attila Bucko (B) def. Daniel Cash-Bob Van Overbeek, 8-6. Order of finish: 2, 3, 1.
Singles
1. (7) Alexandre Lacroix (F) vs. Denes Lukacs, 7-5, 3-6, 1-2 (did not finish); 2. (11) Jordan Rux (B) def. Joey Burkhardt, 6-2, 7-5; 3. Antoine Benneteau (F) def. Attila Bucko, 6-2, 6-4; 4. Dominik Mueller (B) def. Bob Van Overbeek, 6-2, 6-1; 5. Sekou Bangoura Jr. (F) def. Roberto Maytin, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; 6. Nassim Slilam (F) def. Maros Horny, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Order of finish: 4, 3, 2, 5, 6.
Records: Florida 5-1, Baylor 5-1.
Friday’s results
No. 11 Florida 4, No. 6 Baylor 2
No. 3 Ohio State 4, No. 14 Louisville 2
No. 1 Southern California 4, No. 16 Fresno State 0
No. 8 Texas 4, No. 9 Stanford 0
No. 4 UCLA 4, No. 13 Kentucky 1
No. 5 Tennessee 4, No. 12 Illinois 0
No. 2 Virginia 4, No. 15 Alabama 0
No. 7 Georgia 4, No. 10 Mississippi 3
Saturday’s quarterfinals
9 a.m.: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Florida
12 p.m.: No. 1 Southern California vs. No. 8 Texas
3 p.m.: No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 5 Tennessee
6:30 p.m.: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 7 Georgia
Saturday’s consolation matches
9 a.m.: No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 14 Louisville
12 p.m.: No. 9 Stanford vs. No. 16 Fresno State
3 p.m.: No. 12 Illinois vs. No. 13 Kentucky
6:30 p.m.: No. 10 Mississippi vs. No. 15 Alabama