Feb. 2, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's tennis team started the first half of its four-game weekend with a 4-2 win over Georgia State and a 4-1 win over Liberty on Friday at home in the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
In the first match against Georgia State, Auburn clinched the doubles point in a highly-contested battle. On court two, Auburn's Diego Chavarria and Carles Sarrio took care of business, notching a 6-0 victory over Georgia Sate's Giles Hussey and Kevin Huynh. On court one, Auburn's Edward Nguyen and Matteo De Vincentis (playing his first Auburn match) fell just short to Georgia State's Andrei Andrukhou and Quentin Coulaud 7-6 (7-5). On court three, Auburn's Tad Maclean and Olle Thestrup concluded the battle by clinching the doubles point with a 7-6 (7-3) victory over Georgia State's Andrei Duarte and Sebastian Acuna.
"I hope they see what it takes match in and match out. Sometimes you're not playing your best tennis, and you have to rely on your teammate," said Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds. "At that point, you have to just sink your teeth in, see what you can do to stay out there and not give up. I think, as I always say, the doubles point is so huge. The guys came out well, especially on court two doubles. To win 6-0 against a ranked team like that speaks volumes of where some of them were last year in doubles and where they are this year. It's always still a work in progress, and we can't rest on our laurels for the next match."
In singles, Auburn clinched the match with a tough 4-2 victory. On court four, Auburn's Olle Thestrup got things going with a 6-1,6-1 win over Georgia State's Kevin Huynh. Georgia State began their comeback attempt following that match with Andrei Duarte's 6-3, 6-1 win over Auburn's Lorenzo Rodriguez. Quentin Coulaud of Gerogia State evened the match with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Auburn's Matteo De Vicentis. Carles Sarrio put Auburn back on top with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Georgia State's Sebastian Acuna. Auburn's Tad Maclean finished the match with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Georgia State's Giles Hussey.
To open the second match, Liberty took the doubles point behind a 6-3 victory from Eddie Gutierrez and Vince Salas over Auburn's Carles Sarrio and Diego Chavarria on court two along with a 7-5 victory from Alex Poynter and Diego Castano over Auburn's Edward Nguyen and Matteo De Vincentis on court one. On court two, Auburn notched a 6-2 victory from Olle Thestrup and Tad Maclean over Liberty's Chase Burton and Sam Matheson.
In singles, Auburn swept the competition to complete a 4-1 win. Carles Sarrio started things off with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Eddie Gutierrez. Brandon Laubser followed suit with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Liberty's Alex Poynter. Olle Thestrup continued the winning streak with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Liberty's Chase Burton. Michael Durham clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Liberty's Diego Castano.
"That was a great fight out of both teams," said Reynolds. "We knew coming in, especially after last year, that Georgia State's team is unbelievably tenacious and will fight until the very end. Our hats are off to them. That's why they do so well year in and year out, and Liberty is a team on the rise. I told the guys beforehand that's how I want our team to be. You can see it. I was proud of the guys. A couple of them had some chances to close it out, and we didn't at that time, but we never gave up. We came back and kept fighting. I'm happy with today's result."
On Sunday, UCF (1-2) visits for a noon match and Samford (2-1) plays the Tigers at 4 p.m. to close out the weekend competition. All Auburn home matches are held at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (771 Yarbrough Farms Blvd., Auburn), and admission is free.
Auburn 3, Georgia State 2
Singles:
Edward Nguyen (AU) v Andrei Andrukhou (GSU) 6-4, 6-7 (8), 2-1 unfinished
Quentin Coulaud (GSU) def. Matteo De Vincentis (AU) 6-3, 6-4
Carles Sarrio (AU) def. Sebastian Acuna (GSU) 6-4, 6-4
Olle Thestrup (AU) def. Kevin Huynh (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
Tad Maclean (AU) def. Giles Hussey (GSU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Andrei Duarte (GSU) def. Lorenzo Rodriguez (AU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles:
Andrukhou/Coulaud (GSU) def. Nguyen/DeVincentis (AU) 7-6 (7-5)
Sarrio/Diego Chavarria (AU) def. Hussey/Huynh (GSU) 6-0
Thestrup/Maclean (AU) def. Duarte/Acuna (GSU) 7-6 (7-3)
Time of match: 2:55; Order of finish: Doubles: 2,1,3; Singles: 4,6,2,3,5
Auburn 4, Liberty 1
Singles:
Matteo De Vincentis (AU) vs. Sam Matheson (LU) 6-1, 3-6, 0-1 unfinished
Carles Sarrio (AU) def. Eddie Gutierrez (LU) 6-1, 6-1
Olle Thestrup (AU) def. Chase Burton (LU) 6-4, 6-3
Tad Maclean (AU) vs. Vince Salas (LU) 7-6 (7-5), 3-1 unfinished
Brandon Laubser (AU) def. Alex Poynter (LU) 6-2, 6-3
Michael Durham (AU) def. Diego Castano (LU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles:
Poynter/Castano (LU) def. Nguyen/DeVincentis (AU) 7-5
Salas/Gutierrez (LU) def. Sarrio/Diego Chavarria (AU) 6-3
Thestrup/Maclean (AU) def. Burton/Matheson (LU) 6-2
Time of match: 1:54; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,2,1; Singles: 2,5,3,6 Official: Donna Jerome