April 6, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn men's tennis played its closest match of the SEC season in a 4-3 loss to No. 35 Ole Miss Friday evening at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
Although Ole Miss took the doubles point, courts one and two were closely contested, with Ole Miss winning by just a 6-4 margin after staking a 0-3 lead over Edward Nguyen and Tad Maclean on court one, and Carles Sarrio and Matteo De Vincentis down just 5-6 on court two when that match was abandoned.
Sarrio tied the match with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in singles over Zvonimir Babic on court four, and after Ole Miss posted a win on court one, Brandon Laubser tied the match at 2-2 with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Cotter Wilson on court six.
When Ole Miss pulled ahead again with a three-set win on court three, freshman Matteo De Vincentis tied the match for a third time with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Fabian Fallert on court two. When Auburn freshman Tad Maclean forced a third set on court five, that third set was to decide the match, but Ole Miss' Finn Reynolds prevailed 6-0 to clinch the win.
The Tigers are now 10-15 overall and 0-9 in SEC play. No. 35 Ole Miss is 13-9 overall and 3-7 in SEC action this season.
Sunday, Auburn seniors Viboosh Chandrasekar and Edward Nguyen will be honored as the Tigers entertain No. 44 Arkansas (12-11, 3-6 SEC) at 1 p.m. and host Alabama A&M (3-11) in a 4:30 p.m. match, the final home matches of the regular season.
Nguyen, from Montreal, Canada, has posted 24 career singles wins and 33 wins in doubles during three seasons at Auburn; he serves as team captain and is playing in the No. 1 spot in singles and doubles this season. Chandrasekar, from Boston, Mass., has been a four-year competitor for Auburn; he has posted 7 singles wins and 5 in doubles while battling injuries.
On Sunday, Senior Day ceremonies will take place between doubles and singles, and fans can take away free t-shirts, koozies and sunglasses. All Auburn home matches are held at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (771 Yarbrough Farms Blvd., Auburn), and admission is free.
#35 Ole Miss 4, Auburn 3
Singles
#30 Tim Sandkaulen (UM) def. Edward Nguyen (AU) 6-3, 6-2
#100 Matteo De Vincentis (AU) def. Fabian Fallert (UM) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Grey Hamilton (UM) def. Olle Thestrup (AU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Carles Sarrio (AU) def. Zvonimir Babic (UM) 6-3, 6-2
Finn Reynolds (UM) def. Tad Maclean (AU) 6-1, 5-7, 6-0
Brandon Laubser (AU) def. Cotter Wilson (UM) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles
#56 Sandkaulen/Hamilton (UM) def. Nguyen/Maclean (AU) 6-4
Sarrio/De Vincentis (AU) v Kraljevic/Babic (UM) 5-6 unfinished
Fallert/Finn Reynolds (UM) def. Brandon Laubser/Diego Chavarria (AU) 6-2
Time of match: 3:17; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,1; Singles: 4,1,6,3,2,5; Official: Donna Jerome