GAINESVILLE, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF men's tennis team opened its 2018 campaign with the tall order of taking on No. 9 Florida on Monday night at the Ring Tennis Complex. Despite knocking off the No. 1 doubles team in the country, the Knights (0-1) could not keep up the pressure, falling 6-1 to the Gators (1-0).
Playing with a trio of newly formed partnerships, the Knights nearly struck first in doubles play. At No. 1, Korey Lovett and Eero Vasa won the opening four games against Alfredo Perez Johannes Ingildsen, the top-ranked duo in the nation. The UCF pairing closed out the match to win 6-4.
Rookie duo Mikhail Sokolovskiy and Gabriel Decamps challenged the 10th ranked McLain Kesser and Duarte Vale, but fell 6-4 to tie it up. Facing the 11th ranked pairing in Oliver Crawford and Chase Perez-Blanco, Danny Kerznerman and Alan Rubio went to a tiebreak to settle the doubles point. Florida's pair proved too much, as the Knights fell 7-6 (3).
UCF did not shy away from the hosts in singles action. Lovett and Kerznerman were the only players in the Knights' lineup that had previous collegiate experience. Decamps, Vasa, Rubio and Sokolovskiy hit the court needing four points.
Even with three matches in third sets, the Black and Gold could not hold the Gators off. At No. 4, Crawford edged Vasa, who was playing in his first competition match since last March, 6-2, 6-0. Andy Andrade topped Kerznerman 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5. Decamps stayed with the No. 7 ranked Ingildsen, but lost 6-3, 6-2 in the second spot.
Rubio provided the bright spot in singles play at No. 3. The Mexican international picked up his first ranked win in his first match for the Knights with a 6-4, 2-6, 10-4 over No. 39 Vale.
Lovett battled in the leadoff spot for the Knight against the eighth ranked Perez. The senior climbed back after dropping the opening set, before Perez took the match 6-3, 3-6, 10-2. Sokolovskiy pushed Kessler to three sets in the final spot of the lineup but dropped the match 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The road swing continues for the Knights at the ITA Kickoff Weekend out in Los Angeles, Calif. UCF will battle Utah State on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. With two wins, the Black and Gold will punch its ticket to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF Men'sTennis on social media on Facebook (/UCF.MTennis), Twitter (UCF_WTennis) and Instagram (UCF.MTennis).
