The Aggie men’s tennis team has a chance to tie history today.
The sixth seeded Texas A&M men’s tennis team will face off against the 11th-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes in the Round of 16 today at the SMU indoor courts at 4:30. With a win today, the Aggies will get their second round of eight birth in program history.
A&M (23-4) secured their spot in the Round of 16 with a 4-2 victory over Oklahoma State last Saturday at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station. After a rocky start, dropping the doubles point for just the fifth time this season, the Aggies rebounded by winning four consecutive singles matches to advance. Head Coach Steve Denton spoke about the resiliency his club showed in fighting back to advance to the Round of 16.
“I am really proud of this team and what they have been able to accomplish already this season,” Denton said. “After doubles and the first sets were out of the way it turned into a real dogfight for the rest of the match. The match went back and forth all day, looked like we had it, then they looked like they had it. That’s how college tennis is and that is what makes team tennis so much fun to come out and watch.”
The SEC tournament champions are led by 47th-ranked player in the country Jeremy Efferding and 92nd-ranked AJ Cantanzariti. Efferding, a senior, leads the club in career victories with 95 and Cantanzariti, a freshman, has been in the middle of an impressive freshman campaign. He was elected to the All-SEC second team and All-freshman team and is second in the club with six victories over ranked opponents this season.
The Buckeyes (27-8) are making their 10th consecutive Round of 16 appearance and are coming into the contest hot, winners of 11 of their last 12 matches. Ohio State has two ranked doubles pairs of No. 7 Kevin Metka and Ralf Steinbach and No. 88 Chris Diaz and Hunter Callahan. The Buckeyes have not lost a point so far in the tournament, sweeping No. 23 Vanderbilt and Buffalo in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
The matches are subject to change due to weather.
