Rodrigues Shines in First Round of Gamecock Fall SEC Shootout

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Picking up right where he left off in the last tournament, South Carolina men’s tennis junior Daniel Rodrigues led the Gamecocks with strong play in the first day of the Gamecock Fall SEC Shootout. A three-set victory over a player who finished last season ranked No. 5 in the nation, Rodrigues added to his undefeated season in singles and added a tough doubles victory Friday as well.
 
Playing a bulk of their matches against Florida, which finished the 2019-20 season ranked No. 9 in the nation, the Gamecocks claimed a pair of doubles matches and two singles wins. Three single matches went into three sets and two featured at least one tiebreak.
 

Gamecock Notables

• Raphael Lambling and Philip Jordan stayed unbeaten on the season in doubles with an 8-5 win over Florida’s Duarte Vale and Josh Goodger. The Gamecock duo scored a break to take a 7-5 lead and served out the win.
• Rodrigues, who finished last season ranked. No. 47 in the country, was matched with Florida’s Sam Riffice, ranked No. 5 in singles last season, at the top of the singles list. The Gamecock junior claimed the first set 6-3 with Riffice rallying back to take the second 6-4. The two went back and forth in the third with Rodrigues holding serve to take a 5-4 lead and powering through Riffice’s service game to deliver the 6-4 victory.
• Junior Jake Beasley scored the day’s most dominant Gamecock victory with an efficient 6-3, 6-4 win over Florida’s Brian Berdusco.

 
 
The Gamecock Fall SEC Shootout continues on Saturday with matches beginning at 9:30 a.m.
 
 
Gamecock Day 1 Singles Results
Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. Sam Riffice (FL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Duarte Vale (FL) def. Raphael Lambling (SC) 7-6, 2-6, 4-6
Andy Andrade (FL) def. Connor Thomson (SC) 6-2, 6-1
Blaise Bicknell (FL) def. Thomas Brown (SC) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Lukas Greif (FL) def. Toby Samuel (SC) 7-6 (3), 6-2
Ben Shelton (FL) def. Philip Jordan (SC) 6-3, 6-2
Josh Goodger (FL) def. Beau Pelletier (SC) 6-3, 6-4
Jake Beasley (SC) def. Brian Berdusco (FL) 6-3, 6-4
Kenner Taylor (TAM) def. Carter Morgan (SC) 6-1, 6-1
 
Gamecock Day 1 Doubles Results
Raphael Lambling/Phillip Jordan (SC) def. Duarte Vale/Josh Goodger (FL) 8-5
Daniel Rodrigues/Connor Thomson (SC) def. Ben Shelton/Sam Riffice (FL) 8-6
Blaise Bicknell/Andy Andrade (FL) def. Toby Samuel/Jake Beasley (SC) 8-7 (3)
Lukas Greif/Will Grant (FL) def. Beau Pelletier/Thomas Brown (SC) 8-4