Marlee Zein (left) and McCartney Kessler (right) earned a win in the NCAA's postseason doubles tourney Monday.
Photo By: Jessica Seldner
No. 7 Kessler and Zein raced out to an early lead and never looked back as they dispatched Neely and Simova of Louisville, the nation's 13th-ranked squad. Picking up their sixth victory over a ranked foe and their third-consecutive win, the Gator duo put together an impressive performance in their home state. Florida's top tandem was met with some resistance in set two but earned a crucial break to put them ahead 4-3.
Securing a spot in the tournament's final 16, the UF duo is set to take on the winner of the matchup between Sofia Munera and Natasha Subhash (Virginia) and Martina Okalova and Vera Ploner (Tulsa) Tuesday with a first serve time still to be announced.
Improving to 12-6 in dual match play and 16-7 overall, Kessler and Zein converted on seven of their eight service points.
To begin the day in singles, Kessler saw her nine-match winning streak and tournament run come to a close with a 6-4, 6-4 setback to Kelly Chen of Duke. No. 8 Kessler built a 4-2 edge in the opening frame but could not hold off Chen's comeback. In the second stanza, Kessler fought back from a 3-1 deficit but wasn't able to break through.
Kessler finishes the season with an 18-3 overall record in singles and the Georgia native won nine of her final 10 matches to close out 2021. The three-time All-SEC selection, racked up eight wins over ranked opponents this year and boasts a career record of 86-36.
Results NCAA Individual Championship | Doubles
No. 7 McCartney Kessler and Marlee Zein (UF) def. No. 13 Raven Neely and Tatiana Simova (Louisville), 6-1, 6-3
Results NCAA Individual Championship | Singles
No. 49 Kelly Chen (Duke) def. No. 8 McCartney Kessler (UF), 6-4, 6-4
Next Up: NCAA Individual Championship | Doubles | Tuesday, May 25
No. 7 McCartney Kessler and Marlee Zein (UF) vs. Sofia Munera and Natasha Subhash (Virginia) or Martina Okalova and Vera Ploner (Tulsa) – First serve is TBA
| 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships Info |
|---|
| Dates | May 23-28 |
| Location | Lake Nona, Fla. |
| Venue | USTA National Campus |
| Singles Draws | Here |
| Doubles Draws | Here |
| Live Stats | Here |
| Live Stream | Here |
| Tournament Central | Here |
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Kessler and Zein Advance in Orlando - Florida Gators
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