Feb. 26, 2015
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 34 South Carolina came up just short in its SEC opener at No. 28 Auburn Thursday afternoon at Yarbrough Tennis Center, falling 4-2 to the Tigers. After dropping the doubles point with a late service break in the deciding third match, the Gamecocks got out to early leads in two singles matches and forced third sets in two others, but could not overcome the Tigers down the stretch.
South Carolina’s No. 3 doubles team of Andrew Schafer and Andrew Adams set the tone early with a 6-3 victory, but the Tigers answered with a win in the No. 2 match. The point would be in the hands of Gamecock seniors Kyle Koch and Thiago Pinheiro, who were matching the Tigers’ top duo with every shot. A late service break by Auburn gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the match.
No. 101 Schafer and Harrison O’Keefe claimed the first set in their Nos. 4 and 5 matches, respectively, with Schafer closing out Dante Saleh with a late service break after the Tigers had gone up a set in the other four matches. Playing in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Adams dropped his first set to No. 95 Marko Krickovic, but rallied to take the second 6-3. Pinheiro did the same against No. 118 Maxime Hinnisdaels by the same scores.
The Tigers made it a 2-0 lead with a win at the top of the lineup, but Schafer and O’Keefe completed their straight-set wins to knot the match at 2-2. Pinhiero batteld, but could not hold off Hinnisdaels, falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to bring the Tigers within a point of the win.
In the No. 6 match, Thomas Mayronne was looking for his own comeback after falling 6-4 in the first set to Oliver Plaskett. The Gamecocks’ freshman stretched the second set to a tiebreak to keep the Gamecocks in the match, but Plaskett prevailed 7-6 (5) to clinch the win for Auburn.
South Carolina plays the last of six straight road matches on Saturday as the Gamecocks travel to No. 17 Florida. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
#28 Auburn 4, #34 South Carolina 2
Doubles (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1)
1. Marko Krickovic/Oliver Plaskett (AU) def. Thiago Pinheiro / Kyle Koch (SC) 7-5
2. Lukas Ollert/Joseph Van Dooren (AU) def. (44) Thomas Mayronne / Harrison O’Keefe (SC) 6-4
3. Andrew Schafer / Andrew Adams (SC) def. Maxime Hinnisdaels/Dante Saleh (AU) 6-3
Singles (Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 3, 6)
1. (37) Lukas Ollert (AU) def. Kyle Koch (SC) 6-2, 6-4
2. (95) Marko Krickovic (AU) led Andrew Adams (SC) 6-2, 3-6, 5-3 suspended
3. (118) Maxime Hinnisdaels (AU) def. Thiago Pinheiro (SC) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
4. (101) Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Dante Saleh (AU) 7-5, 6-4
5. Harrison O’Keefe (SC) def. Joseph Van Dooren (AU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Oliver Plaskett (AU) def. Thomas Mayronne (SC) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
