The Rattlers tennis team continues to prove its chemistry is intact, as it earned its second-consecutive home victory by a 6-1 margin over the Jacksonville University Dolphins Saturday afternoon at the Florida A&M Tennis Complex.
FAMU has now won four-straight matches over the Dolphins.
The Rattlers earned their first victory at home Monday when they conquered the University of Southern Mississippi 4-3.
“I think everyone was very focused today,” said Fabrice Myrtil, a junior from Kissimmee, Fla. “We took care of business. In all, it was a good match and a good showcase for the team.”
The match turned out to be an easy contest for FAMU, as its performance in both singles and doubles competition displayed dominance over the Dolphins.
“The team played with full confidence today,” said Salif Kante, a junior from Senegal, West Africa. “Everyone was focused and we swept pretty much all the matches. Winning the doubles point made it easier for us to win the match.”
The Rattlers began the match by overwhelming the Dolphins in doubles competition. Kante and Levan Clarke won their doubles match 9-7, while Takura Happy and Childi Gabriel won 8-4. Temura Asafu Adjaye and Fabri Myrtil would conclude doubles play with an 8-5 victory.
In singles competition, Kante won in straight sets in the first spot by a score of 6-3, 6-2. Clark would continue the pace, winning in straight sets by a score of 7-5, 7-6.
Happy won 6-3, 6-2; while Gabriel cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory. Myrtil loss 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; while Adjaye won 6-4, 4-6, 10-6.
Gabriel, a junior from Piscataway, N.J., said the team’s early advantage was a key to success because, by the second half of the match, it already sat in a position to seal the victory. He said that was a pressure-reliever.
“I feel as if today went really smooth. Everybody went out there and handled their business,” Gabriel said. “Nobody felt pressured. It felt good being out there because regardless of what happened in our matches, we were still going to get a ‘W’ by the end of the match.”
The Rattlers will return to action Sunday against North Florida at the UNF Tennis Complex.