Oct. 23, 2015

AUBURN, ALA. – South Carolina men’s tennis got off to a strong start on Day One of the SEC Fall Classic as a pair of Gamecocks advanced to the quarterfinals in Flight A, while a third moved on to the quarterfinals of Flight B.

Eight-seeded Thomas Mayronne kicked off the day with a three-set victory over Santiago Munoz of Arkansas before taking down Vanderbilt’s Baker Newman 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 to reach the Quarterfinal Round, where he is set to take on Tennessee’s Igor Smelyanski on Saturday. Sophomore Harrison O’Keefe also reached the quarterfinals with wins over Mississippi State’s Niclas Braun and the No. 49 ranked player in the country and top-seeded, Vanderbilt’s Danny Valent. O’Keefe will meet fifth-seeded Elliot Orkin from Florida, the No. 86 ranked player nationally, looking to advance to the semifinals.

Junior Andrew Schafer, the No. 2 seed in Flight B, surged past Alabama’s Hayes Brewer in the Round of 32, 6-3, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals, where he will do battle with Jack Heslin of Tennessee. Schafer received a bye in the first round of the flight.

Sophomore Gabriel Friedrich squares off with Vanderbilt’s Rhys Johnson, the No. 6 seed and ranked No. 116 nationally, in the Flight A Consolation bracket after dropping his First Round match to Luis Valero of Tennesse.

Both Gamecocks doubles teams received a No. 2 seed in their respective flight and a bye in the first round. In Flight A, Mayronne and O’Keefe are set to face Tenessee’s Igor Smelyanski and Preston Touliatos in the quarterfinals. In Flight B, Friedrich and Schafer will take on Jacob Herndon and David Herrerias of Arkansas in their quarterfinal matchup.

Play resumes Saturday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center as the Gamecocks are set to compete in doubles at 9 a.m. Stay tuned to www.GamecocksOnline.com for tournament information, and follow the team on Twitter (@GamecockMTennis) for updates.

FRIDAY RESULTS
SINGLES
Flight A
R32 (8) Thomas Mayronne (SC) d. Santiago Munoz (ARK), 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
R32 Harrison O’Keefe (SC) d. Niclas Braun (MSU), 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1
R32 Luis Valero (TENN) d. Gabriel Friedrich (SC), 6-4, 6-2
R16 (8) Thomas Mayronne (SC) d. Baker Newman (VAND), 6-1, 6-7, 6-2
R16 Harrison O’Keefe (SC) d. (1) Danny Valent (VAND), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
Flight B
R32 (2) Andrew Schafer (SC) vs. bye
R16 (2) Andrew Schafer (SC) d. Hayes Brewer (ALA), 6-3, 6-3

DOUBLES
Flight A
R16 (2) Mayronne/O’Keefe (SC) vs. bye
Flight B
R16 (2) Friedrich/Schafer (SC) vs. bye

SATURDAY MATCHUPS
SINGLES
Flight A
RQF (8) Thomas Mayronne (SC) vs. Igor Smelyanski (TENN)
RQF Harrison O’Keefe (SC) vs. (5) Elliot Orkin (FLA)
CQF Gabriel Friedrich (SC) vs. Rhys Johnson (VAND)
Flight B
RQF (2) Andrew Schafer (SC) vs. Jack Heslin (TENN)

DOUBLES
Flight A
RQF (2) Mayronne/O’Keefe (SC) vs. Smelyanski/Touliatos (UT)
Flight B
RQF (2) Friedrich/Schafer (SC) vs. Herndon/Herrerias (ARK)