Gamecocks Drop Conference Opener at Arkansas
Carolina had won seven-straight before falling 5-2 at Arkansas on Friday night.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– No. 34 South Carolina men’s tennis (9-2, 0-1 SEC) saw a seven-match win streak come to an end after a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the 42nd-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks (10-4, 1-0 SEC) on Friday night at the Dills Indoor Courts.
Fourth-ranked Paul Jubb (18-2) earned his sixth-consecutive win in straight sets while No. 76 Daniel Rodrigues won in two sets at the No. 2 singles position, but a loss in the doubles point coupled with losses on each of the other fourth courts led to the Gamecocks first loss to Arkansas since 2010.
DOUBLES
South Carolina dropped the doubles point for just the third time so far this spring after a 6-1 loss at the No. 1 spot was compounded by a 6-3 loss at No. 3 doubles.
Doubles Results:
1. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. Daniel Rodrigues/Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-1
2. Maxim Verboven/Enrique Paya (AR) vs. Paul Jubb/Joseph Brailovsky (SC) 4-5, unfinished
3. Alex Reco/Jose Alonso (AR) def. Yancy Dennis/Jake Beasley (SC) 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3
SINGLES
Jubb was able to respond from a slow start on court one, winning the first set 6-4 before quickly taking out No. 102 Oscar Mesquida 6-2 in the second. Jubb remains perfect on the season in dual matches at 6-0 and improves to 35-8 in his career.
Carolina held the momentum briefly during the singles session as Daniel Rodrigues, who eventually won 6-4, 6-3, played in front from start to finish on court two.
The Gamecocks suffered tight first set losses leading to straight-set defeats on courts four and five, and freshman Jake Beasley had a second set lead slip to Jose Alonso of Arkansas. The loss would prove to be the clinching team point and was followed shortly after with a Razorbacks win on court five to conclude the night.
Singles Results:
1. No. 4 Paul Jubb (SC) def. No.102 Oscar Mesquida (AR) 6-4, 6-2
2. No. 76 Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) 6-4, 6-3
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Yancy Dennis (SC) 6-2, 6-0
4. Alex Reco (AR) def. No. 95 Raphael Lambling (SC) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
5. Enrique Paya (AR) def. Joseph Brailovsky (SC) 7-5, 6-3
6. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Jake Beasley (SC) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 3,1,4,6,2,5
UP NEXT
South Carolina will face another stiff road test on Sunday as they travel to take on the 45th-ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
