Gamecocks Upset Bulldogs to Reach SEC Tournament Semifinal

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In its first top-10 win since 2018, No. 13 South Carolina men’s tennis upset No. 9 Georgia 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon to advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the second time in as many tournaments and third time in program history. After securing the doubles point, the Gamecocks battled hard in singles, with true freshman No. 93 Toby Samuel clinching the match with a third-set tiebreak victory and his first career win over a top-20 opponent.
 
“Unreal team win today,” South Carolina head coach Josh Goffi said. “We knew it was going to come down to one or two matches here, and ultimately, it came down to Toby [Samuel]. Coming back from 5-2 in the third down, that is just monumental effort by the freshman. Unbelievable stuff.
 
“Like we talked about before the match with our boys it was — it’s about GRIT today, it’s about toughness; and the tennis is going to be high level. The match will be decided by toughness and quality decisions in the big moments, and that’s exactly what it came down to.”
 
The Gamecocks made quick work of the doubles point. No. 20 Daniel Rodrigues and Connor Thomson won four of the first five games en route to upsetting No. 8 Trent Bryde and Tyler Zink of Georgia, 6-2, on a Rodrigues forehand down the line. Soon after, No. 84 Raphael Lambling and Phillip Jordan won their match 6-3 with an overhead from Jordan after leading the match wire-to-wire.
 
In singles, Georgia tied things up 1-1 at the bottom of the lineup, but the Gamecocks were not shaken. At the top of the lineup, No. 2 Rodrigues won his first set against No. 12 Trent Bryde 6-4. The two played a closely contested second set, and Rodrigues tied things up 5-5. The Gamecock sophomore pulled ahead, winning 7-5 with a crosscourt backhand that Bryde dumped into the net, creating the 2-1 lead for South Carolina.
 
Close behind was Jake Beasley in the No. 5 spot. After winning the first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (3), Beasley kept the battle going in the second. After leveling the match against Billy Rowe at 5-5, Beasley delivered a break and then closed out the 7-5 win with a service winner for a 3-1 Gamecock advantage.
 
Georgia narrowed the game with a win in the No. 4 spot, leaving the match result to the Nos. 2 and 3 matches. On Court 3, Samuel dropped his first set to No. 18 Philip Henning 6-4 but bounced back with a commanding 6-1 second-set win. Georgia’s junior looked to put away the first-year freshman quickly in the third, jumping out to a 5-2 lead, but the Gamecocks’ young Brit had too much fight left. With his back against the wall, he sent the set to a tiebreak.
 
With the No. 2 match leaning Georgia’s way in the third set, Samuel held his momentum early in the tiebreak, taking a 4-0 lead. At match point at 6-1, Samuel appeared to win the match on a ball called out, but the Gamecocks’ celebration was overruled, sending him back to the court. Henning looked to take advantage of the distraction, winning the next three points. 
 
Once again, Samuel rose to the challenge. Serving what would be his fourth match point, Samuel exchanged shots with Henning before smacking a crosscourt backhand that Henning launched into the air, clinching the 4-2 upset and securing a place in the semifinal for South Carolina.
 
South Carolina will face the winner of No. 4 Tennessee and No. 12 Ole Miss on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
 
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 def. (9) Georgia 4-2
Doubles (Order of Finish: 1, 3*, 2)
1. (20) Daniel Rodrigues / Connor Thomson (SC) def. (8) Trent Bryde / Tyler Zink (UGA) 6-2
2. (58) Billy Rowe / Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Toby Samuel / Jake Beasley (SC) 6-4
3. (84) Raphael Lambling / Phillip Jordan (SC) def. Philip Henning / Erik Grevelius (UGA) 6-3
 
Singles (Order of Finish: 6, 1, 5, 4, 3*)
1. (2) Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. (12) Trent Bryde (UGA) 6-4, 7-5
2. (25) Connor Thomson (SC) vs. (31) Tyler Zink (UGA) 7-6 (6), 3-6, 2-5 DNF
3. (93) Toby Samuel (SC) def. (18) Philip Henning (UGA) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
4. Blake Croyder (UGA) def. (59) Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
5. Jake Beasley (SC) def. Billy Rowe (UGA) 7-6 (3), 7-5
6. Erik Grevelius (UGA) def. Thomas Brown (SC) 6-3, 6-2