The stage was set for senior Conor Pollock Thursday night.
On Senior Night at George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in a Lone Star Showdown match against No. 13 Texas, Pollock clinched a 4-3 win for the Aggies in his final set.
“I couldn’t have scripted a better ending,” Pollock said. “I will remember this forever.”
Entering the match, the Longhorns had dominated the Aggies, winning the previous six contests. A&M opened the match dropping an emotional doubles point that was within reach.
The No. 3 duo of Pollock and sophomore Austin Krajicek took care of business at No. 1 doubles, winning 8-4. Texas answered by taking No. 2 doubles by the same score, 8-4.
The Aggies looked poised to win the doubles point as sophomore Wil Spencer and junior Marcus Lunt were leading 6-3. The Longhorns responded taking five consecutive games to with the match.
In the singles, the Aggies caught fire taking the first set of the six singles matches.
“We were able to fight and win all of the first sets in singles,” said A&M Head Coach Steven Denton. “To do that is amazing against a team as good as this team. Our guys came out, put it behind them and did a great job of fighting.”
Leading the way for the Aggies was Krajicek who blew away his opponent at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-2. During the match his opponent stopped after Krajicek hit a backhand passing shot and said, “Send him to the ATP, we are wasting his time here.” Krajicek remains undefeated on Court 2.
“I guess since we put the sign on his court, he thinks it’s his,” Denton said. “He has been mistreating those guys a little bit.”
Three points after Krajicek won his match, freshman Colin Hoover gave the Aggies the lead 2-1, routing Texas’ Josh Zavala at No. 6 singles 6-0,6-1. Hoover won 11 consecutive games before allowing Zavala to hold serve at 5-0 in the second set.
Sophomore Alexey Grigorov extended the Aggie lead to 3-1, winning at No. 4 singles 7-5, 6-3.
Spencer, who took the first set at No. 3 singles 6-2, was unable to close his match, dropping the final two sets 6-3, 6-4. The loss narrowed the Aggie lead to 3-2 and set up the storybook ending to Pollock’s career.
After winning a tight first set 7-5, Pollock lost the second set 6-1.
“After an intense first set, I definitely had a letdown in the second,” Pollock said. “I mentally wasn’t really into it and I had to refocus in the third.”
Pollock refocused and took the third set 6-4, clinching the match for the Aggies. In his four years with the Aggies, Pollock had never beaten the Longhorns.
“It is fitting for Conor with as great a career as he has had to have a story book ending,” Denton said. “He struggled a little bit in the second set, but he came through like he has so many times for us.”