Gamecocks Open SEC Tournament with 4-1 Win
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 13 South Carolina posted an early lead and cruised to a 4-1 win over No. 42 Auburn in the second round of the SEC Tournament at Arkansas’ Dills Indoor Courts Tuesday morning. The Gamecocks’ two ranked doubles teams delivered the doubles point, and the top of the singles lineup set the tone for the victory.
“It was a good start to the tournament for the squad,” South Carolina head coach Josh Goffi said. “The guys did a good job dealing with the first-round nerves and worked through the ups and downs of today’s matches. That’s what we were looking for today. Now it’s time to build on that and get ready for a good Georgia team.”
Midway through doubles, the Gamecocks struck with both the Nos. 1 and 3 duos surging ahead with service breaks. At the top of the lineup, No. 20 Daniel Rodrigues and Connor Thomson closed out No. 27 Tad Maclean and Finn Murgett 6-2 behind a service winner from Rodrigues. Moments later, No. 84 Raphael Lambling and Phillip Jordan delivered the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Maxwell Giddens and Anders Fry thanks to a wicked forehand service return up the line from Lambling on break point.
Rodrigues carried his momentum into singles, where the No. 2 player in the nation opened a 5-0 lead on No. 28 Tyler Stice. In the No. 3 spot in the lineup, freshman Toby Samuel dominated his first SEC Tournament action with a quick 6-0 first set over Maclean. Lambling and Thomas Brown were also up a break midway through their first sets, both winning 6-4, as the Gamecocks claimed five of the six first sets in the match.
Auburn leveled the team scoring at 1-1 with a win in the No. 5 match, but Brown quickly closed out his No. 6 battle against Gibbons with 6-0 second set to put the Gamecocks back on top 2-1. The senior’s big serve wide delivered the winning point.
Rodrigues used an early service break to go up 2-0 and cruise to a 6-3 win over Stice, again closing the match on an unreturnable serve, to make it a 3-1 advantage. Moments later, Samuel sealed his first SEC Tournament victory winning a long rally at break point with a crosscourt backhand that clinched the Gamecocks advancing in the tournament.
South Carolina advances to face the tournament’s third seed, No. 9 Georgia, on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET.
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
(13) South Carolina def. (42) Auburn 4-1
Doubles (Order of Finish: 1, 3)
1. (20) Daniel Rodrigues / Connor Thomson (SC) def. (27) Tad Maclean/Finn Murgett (AU) 6-2
2. Jake Beasley/Toby Samuel (SC) vs. Jan Galka/Tyler Stice (AU) 4-4 suspended
3. (84) Raphael Lambling/Phillip Jordan (SC) def. Maxwell Giddens/Anders Fry (AU) 6-3
Singles (Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 3*)
1. (2) Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. (28) Tyler Stice (AU) 6-4, 6-3
2. (25) Connor Thomson (SC) led Tim Dollman (AU) 7-6 (2), 5-2 suspended
3. (93) Toby Samuel (SC) def. Tad Maclean (AU) 6-0, 7-5
4. (59) Raphael Lambling (SC) led Jan Galka (AU) 6-4, 2-4 suspended
5. Finn Murgett (AU) def. Jake Beasley (SC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Thomas Brown (SC) def. Maxwell Giddens (AU) 6-4, 6-0
