#15 Kessler and Giel Stay Undefeated While Panthers Fall 6-3 to #4 West Florida
PENSACOLA, Fla.- Despite a tough 6-3 loss to #4 Nationally Ranked West Florida (2-0) seniors’ Keith Kessler (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Cliff Giel (Savaneta,
Aruba) took down their nationally ranked contenders in singles action and combined for their 40th win as a tandem for the final game on the road this week.
As a pair, both Kessler and Giel are ranked #15 in the nation and #4 in the Southeast Region in the final fall FILA Collegiate Tennis Division II rankings through ITA. They took down West Florida’s Nicolas
Barrientos (Cali, Columbia) and Dante Bottini (Buenos Aires, Argentina), both of who are ranked individually on the national level with Bottini 11th
overall, 9-7 in the tight doubles match.
For their four year career they have combined for a 40-20 overall record- 11-5 in 2004, 10-7 in 2005, 16-8 in 2006 and 3-0 currently in 2007.Giel and
Kessler have been named All Sunshine State Conference as a team and individually for the past three years as well.
On the singles side Giel overtook #37 Barrientos (#6 in South region) 7-5, 6-3 in the number one match. Kessler (#13 in Southeast Region) picked up the
only other Tech win shutting down #41 Eduardo Cavasotti (Florianopolis, Brazil-#7 in the South Region) 6-4, 6-2.
Kessler leads all crimson and gray netmen with a .700 all time winning percentage going 11-5 his freshman campaign, 13-4 sophomore year, 15-9 last season
and is currently 3-0. Giel comes in a close second with a .661 collegiate winning percentage- 11-6 in 2004, 9-6 in 2005, 14-7 in 2006 and 3-0 thus far in
2007.
The Panthers (2-1) will be back in action Friday, February 9 heading to West Palm Beach to play regional opponent Palm Beach Atlantic at 2:00 p.m. match.
Tennis Match Results
Florida Tech vs University of West Florida
02/03/07 at Pensacola, Fla.
#4 University of West Florida 6, Florida Tech 3
Singles competition
1. Clifford Giel (FTM) def. #37 Nicolas Barrientos (UWF) 7-5, 6-3
2. Keith Kessler (FTM) def. #41Eduardo Cavasotti (UWF) 6-4, 6-2
3. Luis Arboleda (UWF) def. Christian Kieber (FTM) 6-1, 6-0
4. Luiz Bernardi (UWF) def. Jonathan Hanna (FTM) 6-0, 6-4
5. Vivian Chhetri (UWF) def. Jeremy Casperson (FTM) 6-0, 6-0
6. Mark McGuigan (UWF) def. Joel Zahlan (FTM) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #15 Keith Kessler/Clifford Giel (FTM) def. Nicolas Barrientos/Dante Bottini (UWF) 9-7
2. Diego Zorzi/Luis Arboleda (UWF) def. Christian Kieber/Jonathan Hanna (FTM) 8-3
3. Eduardo Cavasotti/Luiz Bernardi (UWF) def. Jeremy Casperson/Adam Outlaw (FTM) 8-1
Match Notes:
Florida Tech 2-1; Regional ranking #8
University of West Florida 1-2; National ranking #4; Regional ranking #2
Central Standard Time (UWF #4 Nationally #2 South Region)
FTM (#8 South Regionally)
T-3:00 A-55
