No. 16 Gamecocks Upset No. 14 Bulldogs 4-2

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 16 South Carolina men’s tennis topped No. 14 Georgia in a 4-2 decision on Sunday at the Carolina Tennis Center. The Gamecocks dropped the doubles point but fought back in singles, winning three points in straight sets with No. 118 Connor Thomson clinching the win for South Carolina.
 
“Great win for the program today. Our guys showed a lot of Grit today bouncing back after UGA played a great doubles point,” head coach Josh Goffi said after the match. “Jake, Danny, Raf and Toby went to work today right from the start but the game ball goes to Connor Thomson. He stepped up in the big moment and made it his own.”
 
In singles, No. 32 Daniel Rodrigues got things started for South Carolina. He won his first set 6-1 with a powerful crosscourt backhand that Georgia’s No. 9 Trent Bryde dumped into the net. In the second set, Rodrigues did not give up a single game, winning the set 6-0 with a deep forehand that Bryde sent long, bringing in the first point for South Carolina.
 
Not far behind was Jake Beasley in the No. 5 spot. He quickly won his first set 6-2 over Georgia’s Blake Croyder then gave the Gamecocks the lead with a 6-4 second set.
 
True freshman Toby Samuel was the next to finish on Court 4. He also won in straight sets, winning both 6-3 against the Bulldogs’ Billy Rowe. The win marks Samuel’s seventh-straight win, and gave South Carolina its third point. 
 
On Court 6, the Bulldogs closed in 3-2, but the Gamecocks continued to hold them off. In the No. 3 spot, Thomson faced No. 18 Philip Henning of Georgia. Thomson went down 2-6 in the first set, but bounced back to win the second set 6-4. The returning freshman showed his Gamecock GRIT in the final set, in which he did not lose a single game. He won his final point with a forehand down the line that Henning could not return, awarding the Gamecocks the 4-2 victory.
 
The Gamecocks are back in action on Fri., Mar. 12, when they travel to Starkville, Miss., to take on SEC rival Mississippi State.
 
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
 
 
(16) South Carolina def. (14) Georgia 4-2
Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 3*)
1. (44) Daniel Rodrigues / Connor Thomson (SC) vs. (8) Trent Bryde / Tyler Zink (UGA) 5-4 DNF
2. Billy Rowe / Blake Croyder (UGA) def. (59) Raphael Lambling / Phillip Jordan (SC) 6-3
3. Philip Henning / Erik Grevelius (UGA) def. Toby Samuel / Jake Beasley (SC) 6-4
 
Singles (Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 6, 3*)
1. (32) Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. (9) Trent Bryde (UGA) 6-1, 6-0
2. (81) Raphael Lambling (SC) vs. (73) Tyler Zink (UGA) 7-6 (5), 5-5 DNF
3. (118) Connor Thomson (SC) def. (18) Philip Henning (UGA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
4. Toby Samuel (SC) def. Billy Rowe (UGA) 6-3, 6-3
5. Jake Beasley (SC) def. Blake Croyder (UGA) 6-2, 6-4
6. Erik Grevelius (UGA) def. Phillip Jordan (SC) 6-4, 6-2