March 9, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's tennis team dropped a close match by a 5-2 decision to No. 28 South Carolina Friday evening at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. It was the Tigers' first outdoor match at home this season.
Auburn took the doubles point with a pair of decisive wins. Olle Thestrup and Tad Maclean were 6-1 winners over Paul Jubb and Thomas Mayronne on court two, and Carles Sarrio and Diego Chavarria won 6-3 on court three over Harrison O'Keefe and Wood Benton to clinch the doubles point.
South Carolina picked up three points to start singles play, but Auburn junior Olle Thestrup brought the match score to 3-2 with a three-set comeback win over Yancy Dennis on the third court by a 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 score. The Gamecocks clinched the match with a three-set victory in the sixth spot by Wood Benton over Lorenzo Rodriguez.
"We started aggressively with good doubles play, and we're getting closer toward our goal of getting everyone competing consistently in singles," Auburn assistant coach Mark Finnegan said. "In singles tonight, we weren't 100% at all times, and it will take that to beat a good team like South Carolina."
The Tigers are now 9-7 overall and 0-2 in SEC action. South Carolina is 12-3 overall and 2-1 in SEC play.
Auburn is back in action against No. 9 Florida (7-5, 2-1 SEC) Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (771 Yarbrough Farms Blvd., Auburn), and admission is free.
No. 28 South Carolina 5, Auburn 2
Singles
#29 Gabriel Friedrich (SC) def. Edward Nguyen (AU) 7-6, 7-5
Paul Jubb (SC) def. #104 Matteo De Vincentis (AU) 6-0, 6-2
Olle Thestrup (AU) def. Yancy Dennis (SC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-0
Thomas Mayronne (SC) def. Carles Sarrio (AU) 6-4, 6-2
Harrison O'Keefe (SC) def. Tad Maclean (AU) 6-2, 6-2
Wood Benton (SC) def. Lorenzo Rodriguez (AU) 6-0, 2-6, 6-1
Doubles
Nguyen/De Vincentis (AU) v #34 Friedrich/Dennis (SC) 3-4 unfinished
Thestrup/Maclean (AU) def. Jubb/Mayronne (SC) 6-1
Sarrio/Diego Chavarria (AU) def. O'Keefe/Benton (SC) 6-3
Time of Match: 2:20; Order of Finish: Doubles: 2,3; Singles: 2,5,4,3,6,1