No. 23 Gamecocks Fall to No. 15 Florida

March 12, 2017

GAINESVILLE, FLA.– The 23rd-ranked South Carolina men’s tennis team fell to No. 13 Florida, 4-2, Sunday, March 12 at the Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla. The Gamecocks dropped the doubles with losses on courts one and two. In singles play, South Carolina took two matches and forced two to three-sets, but eventually fell with losses on courts one, four and six.

The Gators got on the board first, taking doubles wins on courts one and two. Johannes Ingildsen and Alfredo Perez (4) took their match first, defeating Yancy Dennis and Harrison O’Keefe 6-2 on court one. Joshua Wardell and Chase Perez-Blanco secured the doubles point with a 6-4 victory over Gabriel Friedrich and Andrew Schafer on court three.

In singles play, the Gamecocks notched early victories to briefly take a 2-1 lead. O’Keefe tied the match with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over NO. 79 Elliott Orkin. The win is his first over a ranked opponent this season. Schafer put South Carolina ahead with a 7-5, 7-1 triumph on court three over Perez-Blanco. He improved to 14-1 in dual play with the win.

#10 Perez tied the score for the Gators, defeating #51 Friedrich 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the No. 1 spot. Ingildsen gave Florida the lead again with a 6-2, 6-2 win on court four. Jordan Belga gave the Gators the clinching point, defeating Thomas Mayronne 6-3, 6-4 to make a 4-2 final score.

RESULTS

SINGLES (2, 3, 1, 4, 6)

1. #10 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. #51 Gabriel Friedrich (SC) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

2. Harrison O’Keefe (SC) def. #79 Elliott Orkin (UF) 6-4, 6-4

3. Andrew Schafer (SC) def. Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) 7-5, 6-1

4. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Alex Fennell (SC) 6-2, 6-2

5. Yancy Dennis (SC) vs. Maxx Lipman (UF) UNF

6. Jordan Belga (UF) def. Thomas Mayronne (SC) 6-3, 6-4

DOUBLES (1, 3)

1. #4 Johannes Ingildsen/Alfredo Perez (UF) def. Yancy Dennis/Harrison O’Keefe (SC) 6-2

2. Sam Swank/Alex Fennell (SC) vs. Maxx Lipman/Elliott Orkin (UF) UNF

3. Joshua Wardell/Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Gabriel Friedrich/Andrew Schafer (SC) 6-4

Up Next

After facing Florida this weekend, the Gamecocks will continue their SEC road slate facing Arkansas on Thursday, March 16 at 5 p.m. and then Ole Miss Saturday, March 18 at 11 a.m. South Carolina will return home to face No. 27 Vanderbilt Friday, March 24.