Gamecocks Upset No. 10 Kentucky
Seatlle, Wash. – No. 13 South Carolina men’s tennis upset the 10th ranked Kentucky Wildcats 4-1 in Seattle, Wash. on Sunday. The Gamecocks took the doubles point and secured three singles wins to clinch the match.
The Gamecocks got out to a quick start in doubles, going up on all three courts. No. 7 ranked duo Connor Thomson and Daniel Rodrigues put up five straight games to start their match. They allowed their opponents only one game before putting the match away at 6-1.
James Story and Raphael Lambling clinched the doubles point for the Gamecocks. They never trailed in the match and defeated their opponent 6-3.
No. 55 doubles pair Jake Beasley and Toby Samuel lead the nations No. 22 doubles pair of Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer 5-3 when their match was suspended.
In singles, No. 14 Rodrigues was the first to clear his court. He defeated Millen Hurrion of Kentucky in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 to put the Gamecocks up 2-0.
Kentucky got their first and only point on the board next with Mercer defeating Story on Court 5.
The Gamecocks were able to extend their lead with No. 99 Thomson’s win on Court 3. He defeated his opponent in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
With South Carolina leading 3-1, the three remaining matches all went into third sets. The clinching point for the Gamecocks came from Beasley on Court 6.
Beasley had to fight from behind after dropping the first set 7-5. He came back quickly in the second to win it 6-3 and force a third. In the final set, Beasley put up four unanswered games to start. His opponent was able to win one game before Beasley earned back-to-back games to win the set 6-1. This marked the junior’s first career match clinch.
The Gamecocks earned two top-10 wins during the ITA Indoor Championships. They started the weekend with a win over No. 8 Standford in the main draw. South Carolina dropped it’s quarterfinal match to No. 2 Tennessee on Saturday and were moved to the consolation bracket. They earned their second top-10 win of the weekend over No. 10 Kentucky, making the Gamecocks 3-1 on the season over top-10 opponents.
South Carolina will be in action next at NC State. They will face off against the Wolfpack in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday, March 1, at 1 p.m.
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
(13) South Carolina 4, (10) Kentucky 1
Doubles (order of finish: 1, 3)
1. (7) Rodrigues/Thomson (SC) def. Hurrion/Diallo (UK) 6-1
2. (55) Beasley/Samuel (SC) lead (22) Lapadat/Mercer 5-3 (unfinished)
3. Story/Lambling (SC) def. Leblanc/Musittelli (UK) 6-3
Singles (order of finish: 1, 5, 3, 6)
1. (14) Rodrigues (SC) def. Hurrion (UK) 6-2, 6-1
2. (5) Diallo (UK) lead Samuel (SC) 3-6, 7-5, 4-3 (unfinished)
3. (97) Thomson (SC) def. Musitelli (UK) 6-4, 6-3
4. Lambling (SC) even with (37) Lapadat (UK) 4-6, 6-1, 3-3 (unfinished)
5. Mercer (UK) def. Story (SC) 6-4, 6-4
6. Beasley (SC) def. Leblanc (UK) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
The Gamecocks got out to a quick start in doubles, going up on all three courts. No. 7 ranked duo Connor Thomson and Daniel Rodrigues put up five straight games to start their match. They allowed their opponents only one game before putting the match away at 6-1.
James Story and Raphael Lambling clinched the doubles point for the Gamecocks. They never trailed in the match and defeated their opponent 6-3.
No. 55 doubles pair Jake Beasley and Toby Samuel lead the nations No. 22 doubles pair of Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer 5-3 when their match was suspended.
In singles, No. 14 Rodrigues was the first to clear his court. He defeated Millen Hurrion of Kentucky in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 to put the Gamecocks up 2-0.
Kentucky got their first and only point on the board next with Mercer defeating Story on Court 5.
The Gamecocks were able to extend their lead with No. 99 Thomson’s win on Court 3. He defeated his opponent in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
With South Carolina leading 3-1, the three remaining matches all went into third sets. The clinching point for the Gamecocks came from Beasley on Court 6.
Beasley had to fight from behind after dropping the first set 7-5. He came back quickly in the second to win it 6-3 and force a third. In the final set, Beasley put up four unanswered games to start. His opponent was able to win one game before Beasley earned back-to-back games to win the set 6-1. This marked the junior’s first career match clinch.
The Gamecocks earned two top-10 wins during the ITA Indoor Championships. They started the weekend with a win over No. 8 Standford in the main draw. South Carolina dropped it’s quarterfinal match to No. 2 Tennessee on Saturday and were moved to the consolation bracket. They earned their second top-10 win of the weekend over No. 10 Kentucky, making the Gamecocks 3-1 on the season over top-10 opponents.
South Carolina will be in action next at NC State. They will face off against the Wolfpack in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday, March 1, at 1 p.m.
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
(13) South Carolina 4, (10) Kentucky 1
Doubles (order of finish: 1, 3)
1. (7) Rodrigues/Thomson (SC) def. Hurrion/Diallo (UK) 6-1
2. (55) Beasley/Samuel (SC) lead (22) Lapadat/Mercer 5-3 (unfinished)
3. Story/Lambling (SC) def. Leblanc/Musittelli (UK) 6-3
Singles (order of finish: 1, 5, 3, 6)
1. (14) Rodrigues (SC) def. Hurrion (UK) 6-2, 6-1
2. (5) Diallo (UK) lead Samuel (SC) 3-6, 7-5, 4-3 (unfinished)
3. (97) Thomson (SC) def. Musitelli (UK) 6-4, 6-3
4. Lambling (SC) even with (37) Lapadat (UK) 4-6, 6-1, 3-3 (unfinished)
5. Mercer (UK) def. Story (SC) 6-4, 6-4
6. Beasley (SC) def. Leblanc (UK) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
