Feb. 1, 2010

KNOXVILLE – No. 43 South Carolina dropped a 4-0 decision at No. 5 Tennessee Monday afternoon in the final of the ITA Kickoff Weekend event at Goodfriend Tennis Center. A late service break in the No. 1 doubles match pushed the doubles point in the Volunteers’ favor, and Tennessee never looked back.

Tennessee’s No. 2 doubles team of Rhyne Williams and Boris Conkic, ranked No. 12 in the nation, stormed out of the gate with an 8-0 win over South Carolina’s tandem of Ivan Cressoni and Pedro Campos. The other two doubles matches were on serve late in the set, though. In the No. 1 spot, a pair of nationally-ranked duos traded service breaks as UT’s combination of John-Patrick Smith and Davey Sandgren, No. 7 in the nation, struck first but found themselves back on serve when the nation’s No. 27 duo of Diego Cubas and Ivan Machado broke right back. The teams traded service games to get to 6-5 with the Gamecocks serving. Davey’s lob on break point delivered a 7-5 advantage for the Vols, and Smith served out the win to seal the doubles point for Tennessee.

In singles action, Machado had an early lead on Williams, who is ranked 22nd in the nation, but succumbed to the Vols’ No. 3 player 6-4, 6-0. In the No. 4 position, Johannes Pulsfort struggled on his serve, falling to Tennys Sandgren 6-1, 6-1. The nation’s No. 2 singles player, Smith clinched the match for Tennessee with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Cubas.

South Carolina looks to bounce back with a four-match home stand, beginning on Sat., Feb. 6, with a 1 p.m. match against Charlotte at the USC Field House.

Results

Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 1)
1. (7) John-Patrick Smith/Davey Sandgren (UT) def. (27) Diego Cubas/Ivan Machado (SC) 8-5
2. (12) Rhyne Williams/Boris Conkic (UT) def. Ivan Cressoni/Pedro Campos (SC) 8-0
3. Match suspended

Singles (Order of Finish: 3, 4, 1)
1. (2) John-Patrick Smith (UT) def. (48) Diego Cubas (SC) 6-3, 6-0
2. Match suspended
3. (22) Rhyne Williams (UT) def. Ivan Machado (SC) 6-4, 6-0
4. Tennys Sandgren (UT) def. Johannes Pulsfort (SC) 6-1, 6-1