No. 20 Gamecocks Fall to No. 2 North Carolina
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 20 South Carolina men’s tennis fell 4-1 to No. 2 North Carolina in the ITA Kickoff Weekend regional final at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center Monday afternoon. After dropping the doubles point, the Gamecocks won three first sets in singles but could not complete their comeback on the Tar Heels’ home courts.
Sophomore Jake Beasley gave the Gamecocks their first point with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 win over Mac Kiger in the No. 6 spot. The win marked Beasley’s fourth straight singles victory this spring.
At the top of the lineup, No. 32 Daniel Rodrigues fought hard against No. 2 William Blumberg, winning the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5). The two were deep in the second set when play was suspended with the Tar Heels’ victory.
In the No. 4 match, Toby Samuel faced his first ranked opponent of the season in No. 100 Josh Peck, and the first-year freshman stepped up with a 6-3 first-set win. Peck came back to win the second before that match was also suspended.
The Gamecocks are back in action against another ACC opponent as they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., to take on No. 12 Wake Forest on Sun., Jan. 31, 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).
(2) North Carolina def. (20) South Carolina 4-1
Doubles (Order of Finish: 3, 1)
1. (6) William Blumberg / Brian Cernoch (NC) def. (44) Daniel Rodrigues / Connor Thomson (SC) 6-2
2. (59) Raphael Lambling / Phillip Jordan (SC) vs. (5) Mac Kiger / Simon Soendergaard (NC) 4-4 DNF
3. Josh Peck / Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Toby Samuel / Jake Beasley (SC) 6-2
Singles (Order of Finish: 3, 6, 5, 2*)
1. (32) Daniel Rodrigues (SC) vs. (2) William Blumberg (NC) 7-6 (5), 3-5 DNF
2. (41) Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. (81) Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-4, 6-4
3. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. (118) Connor Thomson (SC) 6-1, 6-3
4. Toby Samuel (SC) vs. (100) Josh Peck (NC) 6-3, 2-6, 1-2 DNF
5. Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Phillip Jordan (SC) 6-3, 7-5
6. Jake Beasley (SC) def. Mac Kiger (NC) 6-1, 6-4
