GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 17 Florida sent the 13th-ranked Commodores back to Nashville with a sour taste following a 4-1 defeat Sunday afternoon at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex.
The Commodores closed the regular season with a 15-9 record and 6-6 mark in SEC play, while the Gators improved to 14-9 overall and 7-5 in the conference.
Florida was able to take a 1-0 lead after doubles after recording wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions. Mike Alford and Luke Johnson defeated Rhys Johnson and Marc van der Merwe, 8-5, at the No. 2 spot. In No. 3 doubles, Florent Diep and Gordon Watson defeated Suresh Eswaran and Jeff Offerdahl, 9-7.
The Commodores got the win in No. 1 doubles with Ryan Lipman and Gonzales Austin. The Vandy duo took down No. 35 Stephane Piro and Bob van Overbeek, 8-5.
In singles, the Gators recorded wins at position Nos. 1, 3 and 4 to clinch the win. At No. 1, Piro upset Lipman in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. This marks the first time all season that Lipman has dropped two-straight singles matches. He has an overall record of 28-9.
Florida’s van Overbeek defeated Offerdahl in the No. 3 spot, 6-2, 6-2, and Alford sealed the victory with his win over van der Merwe at No. 4, 6-3, 6-1.
Vanderbilt’s lone win of the day came from Austin in No. 2 singles where he defeated Diep, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Vanderbilt will compete in the SEC Championships April 17-20 hosted by the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss.
Singles Results
1. No. 118 Stephane Piro (UF) def. No. 10 Ryan Lipman (VU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. No. 46 Gonzales Austin (VU) def. No. 85 Florent Diep (UF) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
3. No. 117 Bob van Overbeek (UF) def. Jeff Offerdahl (VU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Mike Alford (UF) def. Marc van der Merwe (VU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Gordon Watson (UF) vs. Kris Yee (VU) 1-2, unfinished
6. Luke Johnson (UF) vs. Rhys Johnson (VU) 2-1, unfinished
Doubles Results
1. Austin/Lipman (VU) def. No. 35 Piro/van Overbeek (UF) 8-5
2. Alford/Johnson (UF) def. Johnson/van der Merwe (VU) 8-5
3. Diep/Watson (UF) def. Eswaran/Offerdahl (VU) 9-7
Order of finish
Singles: 3,1,2,4
Doubles: 2,1,3
