The Rivalry Continues
By Kevin Ivany
HurricaneSports.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A rivalry that began nearly 69 years ago in The City Beautiful continues Sunday as fourth-year head coach Aljosa Piric and his team return to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center to host No. 25 Florida State for the 69th meeting between the two men’s tennis foes.
“It’s Miami versus FSU,” junior Pablo Aycart Joya said. “It doesn’t matter what sport it is, there is always a little extra motivation when we play against them. They are our biggest rivals and it’s a match that we highlight on our calendars each year at the beginning of the season.”
The No. 31 University of Miami men’s tennis team enters this season affair at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center after the squads split a pair of neutral site contests in Orlando, Fla., in 2018 and 2019. However, the Canes are the most recent victor, sweeping the Seminoles, 4-0, on March 10, 2019.
Overall, the Hurricanes sport a 49-19 all-time record in their series with FSU and are looking to earn back-to back wins over the Seminoles for the first time since winning five-straight from 1995 to 2001.
“To beat FSU is always an amazing feeling and would give us a lot of momentum for the rest of the season,” Aycart Joya said. “We are excited to play them at home, after we played them in Orlando my first two years. It’s going to be a tough match against a good team, but we are ready for the challenge.”
Redshirt senior Dane Dunlap is set to face Florida State for the fifth-time and the second time at home. On March 6, 2016, the Washago, Ont., Canada, native, alongside then sophomore teammate and current volunteer assistant coach Niclas Genovese, topped then-No. 47 Florida State, 4-3, on Miami’s home court. Set to face off against the Seminoles for the final time in the regular season, Dunlap is hoping to end it a perfect 2-0 at home.
“That would be super special,” Dunlap said. “I started my freshman year not playing, but we beat Florida State 4-3 at home, which is one of the most special moments I have ever been a part of. This is the second time we are playing them at home, so it would be really special to end my college career with a third win against Florida State. Obviously any win against Florida State is special, but to do it at home for a second time would be awesome.”
The Hurricanes enter this season’s contest riding a five-match winning streak and are currently 9-2 (2-0 ACC) on the year. In its most recent matchups, Miami opened ACC play with back-to-back wins over then-No. 45 Clemson (7-0) and then-No. 38 Georgia Tech (4-2) on the road.
Following the victories the Hurricanes swept weekly conference honors, with sophomore Francisco Bastias garnering co-ACC Player of the Week, while Bastias and junior Adria Soriano Barrera teamed up to win Doubles Team of the Week honors.
Despite the top-40 matchup on the horizon and ACC play in full swing, Bastias and his teammates are continuing to take it one match at a time and are ready for the challenges ahead.
“The mindset of the team is the same that we have every match. To come out loud, face adversity, don’t go away mentally and play for each other,” Bastias said.
Florida State enters Sunday’s affair most recently earning a 4-0 road win over No. 46 Clemson on Friday and enter the contest with an 11-2 (2-0 ACC) mark. The Seminoles have a pair of student-athletes ranked in the Oracle/ITA National Singles poll, led by No. 74 Alex Knaff and No. 100 Rana Roop Bhullar.
“Florida State is a super strong team this year, but we also have a strong team and we know it is going to be a tight matchup,” Dunlap said. “So, I am just excited to go out there, have fun and see two top college tennis teams battle it out in what is obviously a great rivalry.”
Sunday’s contest at the Schiff will begin at noon, and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra HERE. Live stats for the matchup will be made accessible HERE.
To keep up with the University of Miami tennis team on social media, follow @CanesMensTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
