The No. 12 Texas A&M men’s tennis hosted No. 26 South Carolina in College Station on Friday night. The Aggies were hot on the courts at home with a 6-1 record, looking to continue their seven-match winning streak. However, the Aggies suffered a crushing 4-2 defeat to the Gamecocks.
After sweeping No. 49 Ole Miss last week, the A&M had competition set up for them this week. Following three rain delays, the Aggies found themselves cold, dropping the first point to the Gamecocks in doubles play.
The Gamecocks absolutely dominated the Aggies in the doubles matches. The No. 15 South Carolina duo of graduate Connor Thomson and junior Lucas Andrade da Silva won their match over No. 30 ranked A&M freshman Theo Papamalamis and junior Togan Tokac, 6-4.
Court 2 wasn’t in order either as the A&M duo of senior Alan Magadan and sophomore Tiago Pires let No. 87 freshman Atakan Karahan and sophomore Jelani Sarr crush them 6-3. The Gamecocks continued to rub it in on Court 3 as senior Casey Hoole and sophomore Sean Daryabeigi won over senior Luke Casper and freshman Ritesh Patil, 5-3.
After a disappointing performance in doubles play, and the Gamecocks taking the first point, the Fightin’ Farmers were determined to bounce back in singles play.
On Court 1, No. 32 Papamalamis dominated South Carolina’s Hoole in just two sets going 6-1, 4-0. Papamalamis put the first point on the board for the Maroon and White.
Unfortunately, A&M’s French prodigy, Pires, got smashed in his first set, 1-6, against Andrade da Silva. Pires fell 5-7 in a close second set, handing over the second point to South Carolina.
Jumping to Court 5, Tokac was able to sweep Karahan in two sets, 6-4, 6-3, knotting the Aggies and Gamecocks at 2-2.
In this close fight, USC was able to get ahead of the Aggies once again with Daryabeigi pulling through in a tiebreaker against Casper, 6-2, 7-6.
With two courts left to play and the Gamecocks at 3-2, just one point ahead of the Aggies, there was still a chance for the Maroon and White to pull off what they have been so successful with in the past.
However, the Aggies just couldn’t find it.
On Court 2, stood Magadan and Thomson. With both opponents going back and forth they stood even at 4-6, 6-4 heading to a tiebreaker match. It was make or break for the Fightin’ Farmers.
Magadan couldn’t pull through with the last point. Thomson went 6-2 in the final set, putting the fourth and winning point on the board for the Gamecocks.
The Aggies lost their seven-match winning streak, and after the devastating 4-2 loss, are headed back to square one.
A&M returns to the courts with a home battle on Sunday, March 30 against No. 35 Kentucky.
