CORAL GABLES, Fla. –  Eleven years ago, the University of Miami men’s tennis team took the Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla., looking to seek revenge on its in-state rival.

A season removed from dropping a 4-1 decision to Florida in the second round of the 2008 NCAA tournament, the Hurricanes were once again in position to upset a top-10 Gator team.

However, months prior to the top-25 NCAA tournament matchup, a rocky start to the 2009 spring campaign placed the Hurricanes three-year postseason streak in jeopardy.

Following a season opening, 4-3, home victory over Florida Atlantic, Miami dropped six of its next 11 matches to sit at .500, 6-6, midway through the regular season.

A second-half surge turned things around, as Miami won seven of its final eight regular season contests, beginning with back-to-back road victories against North Carolina and Duke. The Hurricanes’ lone defeat during the eight-match-stretch came in a back-and-forth, 3-4, setback versus top-ranked Virginia.

Looking back on the team’s late season surge Daniel Vallverdu explained how the team was young and they needed time to grow as a unit.

“Obviously for me coming into my senior year, it was a big deal to try and lead the team the best way possible and try and finish my four years at UM the right way,” Vallverdu said. “We had a few young guys that had just come in, so I think it took a few of the guys some time to get adjusted to playing college tennis. The upperclassmen, including myself, would try and help as much as we could and we were able to turn our season around. And obviously, going on that run really helped us to be quite confident going into the NCAA tournament.”

With a 14-8 mark heading into the opening round, the 22nd-ranked Hurricanes cruised past No. 54 Columbia, 4-0, to set up the rematch with Florida.

“Playing Florida, for us, was definitely one of the highlights of our season and something we really looked forward to. And obviously, the more time you spend at UM, for the juniors and seniors especially, you understand the importance of that matchup,” Vallverdu said. “…Losing to them in Gainesville a season before was obviously in the back of our heads and for me, I didn’t want to end my collegiate career losing to them again. So, beating Columbia was big because that gave [me] one last opportunity to go up against Florida.”

However, following a dominating doubles performance by No. 10 Florida, the Gators claimed singles victories at the fourth and sixth position, to jump out to the commanding 3-0 lead in front of their boisterous home crowd.

As the Florida sun beamed down on the UF courts and temperatures surpassed 90 degrees, a trio of the final four remaining Hurricanes competing dropped their opening sets. And for Miami’s pair of seniors, David Rosenfeld and Vallverdu, their collegiate careers were hanging in the balance.

However, the tides began to turn when Rosenfield got Miami on the scoreboard with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over No. 33 Alex Lacroix at the No. 2 position.

Moments later, sophomore Christian Blocker kept momentum going with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 win at No. 5.

With the focus then moved to the battle at the No. 3 position between Sundberg, an All-American in 2008, and Antoine Benneteau, a trip to the NCAA Round of 16 was on the line. Benneteau claimed a tight first-set 7-6, but Sundberg came back to even it up with a 6-4 second-set win. With the match on the line, it was all Sundberg in the third set, as he clinched the victory for the Hurricanes with the strong 6-1 decision.