TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Despite a vibrant beginning to the Knights’ second-round bout with 10th-ranked Florida State, the UCF men’s tennis team’s 2024 campaign came to an end following a 4-1 defeat at the FSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
In contrast to yesterday’s first-round triumph over No. 23 Florida, the Knights were dominant in doubles, securing an early advantage via wins on courts one and three. After going unfinished 24 hours ago, Liam Branger and Paul Colin finished the job in dominant fashion on court three, besting Florida State’s Alex Bulte and Jamie Connel, 6-2.
The French tandem broke serve twice en route to the comfortable victory. However, court three was swiftly canceled out by the Seminoles’ win on two, as Francisco Llanes and Emilio Sanchez were bested by the 88th-ranked duo of Loris Pourroy and Youcef Rihane, 6-3.
Minutes after Lleyton Cronje and Santiago Giamichelle were broken on court one with the chance of going up two games, the tandem immediately returned the favor to go up 5-4 after some brilliant play. With the doubles point in the balance, Cronje delivered on serve to tally the match's first point in favor of the Knights, 6-4. Against the 13th-ranked duo in the nation, Antonoine Cornut-Chauvinc/Joshua Dous-Karbenschif, the triumph serves as the highest-ranked victory of the season for the tandem.
Squad showed out in doubles ✅ pic.twitter.com/HaVUhoLUG3
— UCF Men's Tennis (@UCF_MTennis) May 4, 2024
UCF stumbled out of the gates in singles as the Seminoles grabbed four first sets early on. Just as Mehdi Benchakroun secured a 5-3 lead on court six, the rain began to pour, resulting in the match being postponed.
Following two hours of delay, the two teams, in correspondence with NCAA officials, agreed to resume that match at the FSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
Florida State was able to level the contest shortly after the break, as Jamie Connel defeated Branger on court three, 6-2, 6-2. Minutes later, the Seminoles took the lead following Loris Pourroy’s straight-set win over Cronje on court two.
Their advantage would eventually grow to two as Colin was bested on court four by Youcef Rihane, 6-3, 6-3. Florida State’s momentum wouldn’t waiver as the clincher came courtesy of fourth-ranked Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc’s win over No. 121 Yassine Dlimi on court one.
While falling just a match short of the program’s first Sweet 16 birth, first-year head coach Lloyd Bruce-Burgess and his squad produced a remarkable inaugural season in the Big 12. The first campaign in UCF’s new era saw its best start in program history (14-1), the fourth-best record in the conference after being picked to finish sixth and the second first-round win all time.
Singles Results
- #4 Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc (FS) def. #121 Yassine Dlimi (UCF) 6-4, 6-2
- Loris Pourroy (FSU) def. Lleyton Cronje (UCF) 6-3, 6-0
- Jamie Connel (FSU) def. Liam Branger (UCF) 6-2, 6-2
- Youcef Rihane (FSU) def. Paul Colin (UCF) 6-3, 6-3
- Joshua Dous-Karpenschif (FSU) vs. Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
- Alex Bulte (FSU) vs. Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF) 6-4, 3-0, unfinished
Doubles Results
- Lleyton Cronje/Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) def. #13 Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc/Joshua Dous-Karbenschif (FSU) 6-4
- #88 Loris Pourroy/Youcef Rihane (FSU) def. Francisco Llanes/Emilio Sanchez (UCF) 6-3
- Liam Branger/Paul Colin (UCF) def. Alex Bulte/Jamie Connel (FSU) 6-2
Order of Finish
- Singles: 3,2,4,1
- Doubles: 3,2,1