WEST PALM BEACH - Playing a final non-conference match before heading to the Sunshine State Conference Tournament later this week, 25th-ranked Florida Southern took two doubles points and four singles points to post a 6-3 win over Palm Beach Atlantic.
Though it may not have been a conference match, Monday's result was still an important one for Florida Southern (13-7) in its bid for a regional bid. The Moccasins were ranked #7 in the most recent NCAA South Region rankings, with nine teams selected for the regional tournament, and the win over PBA (11-11) gives them a boost heading into the SSC Tournament. The Sailfish were #9 in the regional rankings, and now the Mocs will face Saint Leo, the #8 team, in the first round of the conference tournament. The win takes on even more importance with the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference guaranteed a bid to regionals, and none of those teams currently among the top ten in the South Region poll.
Florida Southern got off to a good start against the Sailfish with an 8-1 win from Jorge Gutierrez and Nathan Leavitt at #3 doubles before splitting the other doubles matches for a 2-1 lead. Leavitt then jumped on his opponent at #6 singles with a 6-0 win in the first set before giving the Mocs another point by winning the second set, 6-3.
Though Palm Beach Atlantic got wins from Krasimir Atanasov at #1, and Luke Bolanos at #3, Florida Southern kept pace with Benoit Paradis and C.J. Johnson picking up wins at #2 and #4. Gutierrez then finished things off with a 3-set win over Eric Wade at #5, taking the match 2-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Florida Southern will take on 26th-ranked Saint Leo in the first round of the SSC Tournament on Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. in Altamonte Springs.
