University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
#65 South Carolina
Men's Tennis Falls at South Carolina, 4-2
March 27, 2016 | Men's Tennis
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- In a rare singles-only SEC men's tennis match, the Tennessee Volunteers collected two wins from freshmen but could not turn around other matches Sunday in a 4-2 loss to South Carolina.
The Vols (6-11, 0-7 SEC) got straight-set victories from Jack Heslin on court 6 and Srdjan Jakovljevic on court 4, but South Carolina (10-10, 2-4) won four of six first sets and closed out three of those matches in straight sets.
Because of wet court conditions, singles was played first instead of doubles. South Carolina went up 2-0 with wins from Gabriel Friedrich on court 1 and Alex Fennell on court 5.
Heslin gave the Vols a point with a 6-2, 7-6(5) win over Sam Swank at the bottom of the lineup, Heslin's second conference win of the season.
On court 2, sophomore Luis Valero did not capitalize on serving out the second set at 5-4 to force a third. Andrew Schafer got the break and eventually defeated the Vol 6-1, 7-6(4) to give the Gamecocks a 3-1 lead.
The Vols needed to win the two remaining courts to force doubles to decide the match, but South Carolina got the point to clinch. In a tight three setter, Harrison O'Keefe beat Timo Stodder 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 on court 3. to clinch at 4-1.
After the clinch, Jakovljevic won his team-leading fourth SEC match, defeating Thomas Mayronne 7-6(5), 6-3 on court 4.
South Carolina 4, Tennessee 2
Singles
1. #93 Gabriel Friedrich (SC) d. Igor Smelyanski (UT) 6-2, 6-3
2. Andrew Schafer (SC) d. Luis Valero (UT) 6-1, 7-6 (4)
3. Harrison O'Keefe (SC) d. Timo Stodder (UT) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
4. Srdjan Jakovljevic (UT) d. Thomas Mayronne (SC) 7-6 (5), 6-3
5. Alex Fennell (SC) d. Jack Schipanski (UT) 6-3, 6-2
6. Jack Heslin (UT) d. Sam Swank (SC) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
Order of Finish: Singles (1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4)
