Oct. 16, 2014

Updated Singles Main Draw | Updated Singles Consolation Draw

CARY, N.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis powered through 12 victories in 14 singles matches in the first day of action at the ITA Carolina Regional at Cary Tennis Park on Thursday. Sophomore Andrew Schafer yielded just four games combined in his two victories, while senior Thiago Pinheiro logged the Gamecocks’ first win over a ranked opponent at the event in a third-set tiebreak in his second-round match. Three other Gamecocks also moved into third-round action Friday.

Ranked and Rolling
Ranked 25th in the nation, senior Andrew Adams was efficient in his straight-set wins Thursday. The tournament’s third seed dispatched a pair of Coastal Carolina foes in Garik Yedigarian in the first round and Vuk Velickovic in the second.

Method Man
Senior Kyle Koch picked right up where he left off in the quarterfinals of the SEC Fall Classic last month, methodically dispatching Winthrop’s Tremayne Mitchell 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and surging past Appalachian State’s Ollie Casey 6-4, 6-1 in the second.

Key Stat
Five of the Gamecocks’ 14 matches were decided in the third set on Thursday, with three of the five going the Gamecocks’ way. Freshman Harrison O’Keefe was the iron man of the day, defeating Elon’s Joshua Luck 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round then fending off Thomas Weigel of NC State 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in the second. Freshman Thomas Mayronne shook off a tough first set against Charlotte’s Alexander Calott to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 before falling in the second round. Pinheiro’s win over No. 59 Bruno Semenzato of Duke came in three sets as well with the Gamecocks’ senior gutting out a third-set tiebreak to win 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5). Sophomore Sam Swank dropped a tough three-setter in the first round, but bounced back in the consolation draw with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Brice Allanic of College of Charleston.

Up Next
The schedule continues on Friday at 9 a.m. with one round of singles followed by two rounds of doubles. Two Gamecocks will take on ranked foes in singles – Schafer vs. No. 7 Brayden Schnur (UNC), Koch vs. No. 77 Phillipe Tsangardies (Coastal). Pinheiro will be looking to settle an unfinished match against UNC Wilmington’s Sam Williams from their meeting in the 2013 NCAA Tournament first round in Durham.

South Carolina Results

Singles
First Round (128)
Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Danny Bruce (PC) 6-3, 6-0
Thiago Pinheiro (SC) def. Fernando Sala (CLEM) 6-3, 6-2
(25) Andrew Adams (SC) def. Garik Yedigarian (CCU) 6-3, 6-4
Thomas Mayronne (SC) def. Alexander Calott (CHA) 1-6, 7-5, 6-2
Kyle Koch (SC) def. Tremayne Mitchell (WU) 6-3, 6-3
Harrison O’Keefe (SC) def. Joshua Luck (Elon) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
Forrest Edwards (CHA) def. Sam Swank (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

Second Round (64)
Schafer (SC) def. John Wilson (NCA&T) 6-0, 6-1
Pinheiro (SC) def. (59) Bruno Semenzato (Duke) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (5)
(25) Adams (SC) def. Vuk Velickovic (CCU) 6-3, 6-1
Christian Seraphim (WF) def. Mayronne (SC) 6-3, 6-4
Koch (SC) def. Ollie Casey (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
O’Keefe (SC) def. Thomas Weigel (NCST) 6-1, 1-6, 6-3

Consolation Rd. of 64
Swank (SC) def. Brice Allanic (CofC) 6-1, 6-1