With racks up and balls flying, men’s tennis team went 2-0 this weekend in ASUN play on March 31.
The first game was a battle of the birds as the Ospreys took down the Kennesaw State Owls.
North Florida started off slow and went 1-2 in the doubles match and lost their first doubles point of the season. This lost snapped the Ospreys 15 doubles point win streak.
North Florida crushed the Owls in singles play as they won five of the six singles matches.
Junior Jefta Kecic, ranked 96th in the nation, extended his singles win streak to five games after he swept his opponent 6-4,6-1.
The Ospreys closed out the game with a 5-2 score, bringing home the win.
North Florida stay on the road and travel to Nashville, Tenn. to face the Bisons.In Tennessee, the Ospreys took on the Lipscomb University Bison for their third ASUN game on April 1.
The Ospreys brought in wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 spot to clinch the doubles point and restart their streak.
“The depth of the team is really showing dividends right now and it was great to see us get back on track in doubles,” said head coach Mark Finnegan.
As the singles matches went on its way, the Ospreys was surprised when senior Jack Findel-Hawkins, who national ranked at 58, was defeated by Lipscomb’s Rob Mitchell.
Kecic pulled through in a three-set win moving his win streak to six games.
Sophomore Sahil Deshmukh joined in the winning as he defeated his opponent, giving him a three-game win streak.
They finished singles play 4-2 taking home the overall win with 5-2 as the final score.
The Ospreys will come back home to play USC Upstate on April 6.
Women’s tennis went 2-0 this weekend during ASUN play.
The first game was on March 31 in Kennesaw Georgia against the Kennesaw State Owls. The Ospreys did not taste defeat as they play perfect against the Owls with a 7-0 score.
North Florida were able to take in the doubles point early in the match with quick wins in the No. 1 and No. 2 spot.The action continued into the singles matches as the Ospreys swept the Owls in all six matches.
There were several outstanding performances by the Ospreys during the match.
At the No. 3 spot junior Irina Karangozishvili defeated her opponent 7-5, 7-6 making it her fourth straight singles win. Joining in on the fun, senior Quetzali Vazquez took down her opponent 6-4, 6-1 also receiving her fourth straight singles win.
“We had a slow start in doubles with our energy and intensity, but the girls were able to get going after a few games and that led us to get the point,” said head coach Mariana Cobra. “We started singles with a lot more energy and we never looked back.”
With this win under their belt, the Ospreys packed their bags and headed to Tennessee to face the Lipscomb Bisons.
With the energy still pumping through their veins from their match against Owls, North Florida used the same momentum against the Bison.
The Ospreys took home the doubles point with a victorious win in the No. 2 spot and a default win in the No. 3 spot.
Lipscomb missed a play in the No. 3 spot caused a default win for the Ospreys giving them the doubles point.
The singles match was one to remember as the Ospreys took five of the six singles match wins.
In the No. 4 spot, Vazquez clinched her fifth straight singles match victory, along with junior Karangozishvili in the No. 3 spot. In the No. 6 spot the Ospreys won by default again as the Bisons missed a play.
“It was a good road swing for us. We knew we would face some different challenges this weekend and we did a great job of a taking care of business,” said Cobra.
The Ospreys head back to their nest as they come home to play USC Upstate on April 6.
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