Gulf Breeze's Pfeifler, Kasler win titles

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Anything less than a pair of wins Wednesday at the FHSAA Class 2A tennis championships would have been a disappointment for Gulf Breeze High's Jackie Kasler.

But not because she needed to cement her status as the most decorated prep tennis player in the area's history. She already had a singles championship and a pair of doubles titles.

And not because she was expected to win — Kasler wasn't even the top seed in her draw in the team finals.

To be frank, Kasler — an Auburn signee — had to win because this year, it was personal.

Call it "Mission Possible."

Reversing a loss in last year's singles final to Sarah McLean from Miami Gulliver Prep, Kasler won career state title No. 4 with a 6-0, 7-5 win over the Florida International signee early Wednesday morning. Then Kasler and teammate Jen Pfeifler won their third straight doubles championship by rallying from a loss in the first set to dump the Gulliver Prep team of McLean and Gabriella Navia 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.

The five total championships for Kasler are tied for second all-time in state tennis history. Only Miami Sunset's Jennifer Heisner (2002-04) and Miami Beach's Susan Herr (1949-52) have more (six).

"We haven't gone through the last three years playing together to lose our last match," Pfeifler said following the landmark win at Red Bug Lake Park. "I wasn't letting her go out like that."

Slow doubles start

Playing beside longtime friend Pfeifler, a junior at Gulf Breeze, for the final time in her prep career, Kasler was looking straight at a loss in her final match for the Dolphins.

It was an uncharacteristic slow start for the two-time defending Class 2A state champions as McLean and Navia bolted to a 5-2 lead in the opening set. It was also unchartered water for the Dolphins' doubles stars, who had never lost a set — let alone a match — in their three years together at the high school level.

"I was so nervous because my arm wasn't feeling well during warm-ups and I thought I did something to it," Pfeifler said. "I was afraid to really hit the ball because I didn't want to mess it up. But after we got behind, I decided I really had to kick it up because it was basically now or never."

The Dolphins rolled off three straight games to tie the set 5-5, but it wasn't enough as Gulliver Prep took the opening set 7-5.

"We would have won the first set, but got a terrible start," Kasler said. "We started to kick it up a notch, and I think we got better and better.

"They took us out of our rhythm. We like to hit a lot of volleys. They were like, boom, boom, miss or boom, boom, winner."

But the pair found their rhythm in the second and third sets, cruising 6-1, 6-3. The win was the third straight for the duo, tying the state record for doubles championships with the same partner.

"I was thinking about (winning three state championships) on the court," Pfeifler admitted. "But I had to put it out of my mind and play (match) point."

Kasler was more focused on driving the ball back across the net as Gulliver Prep tried to hit cross-court winners.

"I was more focused on poaching," Kasler said. "I was poaching like a maniac out there. It was fun."

Dominating start

The doubles win was icing on the cake for Kasler after knocking off McLean 6-0, 7-5 earlier in the day to win her second singles championship.

"I really couldn't have played any better in the first set," said Kasler, who previously won a singles title in 2008. "I did exactly what I wanted to do. I had played her before, so I came in with a game plan."

But the second set didn't go as planned. Kasler was trailing 4-0, and McLean was on serve when she turned it around.

Kasler went to the net on back-to-back points, driving home winners each time and earned the break. She went on to win six of the next seven games, breaking McLean three more times to earn the victory.

"I kinda started to think about how I won the first set 6-0 and started hitting the ball shorter," Kasler said. "But then I just relaxed, and figured if I won the second set, great. If not, I'd win it in the third."

And while Kasler's sad there won't be more prep titles with her friend Pfeifler as her prep career ended Wednesday, she's looking forward to moving on to Auburn and spending the coming months convincing her friend to come along.

"I'm pretty sure I know where you're going to college," Kasler said with a smile. "I'm pretty sure we're going to play again."