This one couldn't have been much closer, and unfortunately for the UF men's tennis team it was on the wrong end of the outcome.
Just one day after defeating No. 9 Illinois 6-1, the Gators (5-3) fell just short to No. 22 Pepperdine, 4-3.
The match came down to the final court, which played host to UF freshman Jeff Dadamo, in a 3-hour-9-minute match that included a third-set thriller.
Dadamo dropped his opening set in a tiebreak 7-6 (1) but fought back to take the second set 6-3.
Serving at 5-6 in the final set, Dadamo fought off one match point with an ace, but he was unable to escape the game and surrendered the match and the dual match to the Waves (2-5).
"He was the last match on against Florida State, so he's been there before," UF coach Andy Jackson said. "We're going to get to May, and he's not going to be a freshman anymore. It's good for him to be in that situation."
Dadamo's match would have been meaningless were it not for UF freshman Johnny Hamui and senior Nestor Briceno.
The Gators were down 3-1 with three courts to play, and they had to win all three to win the dual match.
Hamui battled through a tight third set and broke his opponent's serve to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Briceno's match appeared to be the next to finish, and he knew he would have to win to keep his team alive.
"I gave the team the best shot that I could, and that's what kept me going through the match," Briceno said. "I was hoping it would come down to me. I was hoping that Jeff would pull through."
Briceno overcame several controversial calls and a flip over the net on his way to a 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 win.
Then he was forced to watch his young teammate try to carry UF to victory.
"It was nerve-wracking," he said. "Every year you get more and more into it. I mean, I think it's easier to play than to watch something like that."
The match could have been decided elsewhere.
UF lost two of three doubles courts and the doubles point after playing its best doubles of the year Sunday against Illinois.
In singles, Ouellette wasn't a factor, losing 6-2, 6-1.
But perhaps the best opportunity for UF, aside from Dadamo, came from freshman Alex Lacroix.
In a similar situation as Dadamo, Lacroix was unable to hold serve late in the third set to force a tiebreak and lost a close match, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.
No matter what the outcomes were for the Gators in their last two matches, Jackson said the last two days were not only successes, but they also introduced a NCAA Tournament feel for his young squad.
"That was exactly what we were trying to produce," Jackson said. "Not only a feel, but there's two teams - Illinois and Pepperdine - that really know what they're doing. It's good for us to be in those situations."
