Sept. 30, 2013

TULSA, Okla. – South Carolina freshman Andrew Schafer won his final round of pre-qualifying to join three teammates in the qualifying draw of the Saint Francis ITA All-American Championships Monday afternoon at Michael D. Case Tennis Center. The quartet of Gamecocks fell in the first round of qualifying, moving into the consolation bracket.

Schafer rallied from a last-minute 5-7 defeat in the first set against Purdue’s Ricky Medinilla, turning the tables on the Boilermakers’ freshman to win the second set 7-5. South Carolina’s surging newcomer rolled in the third, 6-1, to move into the qualifying draw. Schafer was back on court late in the afternoon, taking on Connor Glennon of Memphis. In his debut at the event, the Tigers’ junior steadily chipped away at Schafer’s game, which had already lasted through four wins over three days, to claim at 6-4, 6-4 victory.

A trio of Gamecocks took the court for the first time at the event, earning starts in the qualifying draw. Senior Chip Cox suffered a tough loss to Memphis’ Johnny Grimal, dropping a pair of tiebreaks, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2), to fall into the consolation bracket. Juniors Kyle Koch and Thiago Pinheiro also fell in the first round of qualifying. Koch struggled to hold serve in a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Nick Chappell of TCU. Texas A&M’s Junior Ore, who earned All-America status in doubles last season, took an early lead in both sets against Pinheiro, closing with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Qualifying rounds of doubles begins on Tuesday with Pinheiro and Tsvetan Mihov, who are ranked 32nd in the nation, drew a first-round bye and await the winner of the match between BYU’s Ismael Dinia and Sidharta Hazarika and Tennessee’s Jarryd Chaplin and Markus Kemer for a 11:30 a.m. match. The singles consolation bracket has not yet been released.

South Carolina Results

Singles
Pre-Qualifying Fourth Round
Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Ricky Medinilla (PUR) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1

Qualifying First Round
Junior Ore (TAMU) def. Thiago Pinheiro (SC) 6-1, 6-2
Johnny Grimal (MEM) def. Chip Cox (SC) 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2)
Nick Chappell (TCU) def. Kyle Koch (SC) 6-3, 6-2
Connor Glennon (MEM) def. Schafer (SC) 6-4, 6-4