AUBURN, Ala. – No. 35 Men's tennis defeated 16th ranked South Carolina by a 4-1 score at the Yarbrough Tennis Center on Sunday. The win marks Auburn's third consecutive victory over the Gamecocks dating back to the 2022 SEC Championships as well as its third straight SEC match victory this season.
The Tigers picked up a close doubles point, followed by two straight set singles victories. With Auburn leading 3-1, senior Finn Murgett came back from dropping his first set to clinch the team victory on court two.
"I couldn't be prouder from the doubles standpoint," said Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds. "We were down break points at four all and trying to stay in there, then ultimately getting a win at one was huge. Getting points on the board as fast as we can absolutely changes the momentum and the pressure that both teams feel with those remaining matches on the court.
"Finn played some up-and-down tennis but ultimately, he held his head and late in the second set he broke back to win the tiebreaker. Once Finn goes quiet and gets in his zone, there is not a better person out there that can go through somebody. He's put in so much work over the five years that he's been here, so I couldn't be more happy for him to get that win for the team."
South Carolina got off to a good start in doubles by winning court two 6-2. Auburn's Tyler Stice and Will Nolan never trailed the set on court three and earned their seventh doubles dual match victory of the season to respond.
With the doubles point coming down to Murgett and Raul Dobai on court one, the Auburn duo won three straight games after trailing 4-2 to take the match lead against 10th ranked Toby Samuel and Casey Hoole. Murgett and Dobai ultimately claimed the close match 7-5 for their second win over a top-10 ranked doubles team this season. The win clinched the doubles point for Auburn and gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Raul Dobai and @FMurgett earn a huge win over 10th ranked Toby Samuel and Casey Hoole to claim the doubles point 💪#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/XBv5gWbal8
— Auburn Men's Tennis (@AuburnMTennis) March 17, 2024
The momentum began to swing back to South Carolina early in the first set, as they led on four courts at one point during the opening set. The Gamecocks then tied the match with a win on court one.
Redshirt freshman Nicholas Heng came back from a 3-2 deficit on court five to claim the opening set against Sean Daryabeigi. Leading the second set 3-2, Heng then caught fire and won the next three games in a row to earn a 6-4, 6-2 victory and give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Moments later, Billy Blaydes earned his seventh consecutive singles victory over Jelani Sarr 7-5, 7-5. Blaydes' 14th singles dual match win of the season put Auburn within one singles victory of clinching the upset win.
All three remaining courts entered a decisive third set as Murgett won his second set in a tiebreaker to force a third set, Nolan won his second set to force a third on court six and Alejandro Moreno dropped his second set to enter a third on court three.
After dropping the first set to No. 96 Casey Hoole, Murgett came back to defeat Hoole 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 for his 12th dual match victory of the season and clinch the team win which begin a celebration on court two.
"That was a super tough match against South Carolina," Murgett said after clinching the team win. "I had a tough first set but Hoole was probably the better player for 30 percent of the match. Then I just had a feeling it was coming down to me, so I knew I needed to stay tough."
.@FMurgett delivers Auburn its third straight match victory 🏆#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/FdZHdQNtoK
— Auburn Men's Tennis (@AuburnMTennis) March 17, 2024
The Tigers' third consecutive win improved their record to 13-5 and 4-1 in conference matches this season. The loss dropped South Carolina to the .500 mark at 8-8 overall and 2-3 in SEC play.
Up next, Auburn will be back on the road to face Vanderbilt on Friday at 4 p.m. CT in Nashville.
#35 Auburn 4, #16 South Carolina 1
Singles Results:
1. #49 Toby Samuel (SC) def. #40 Tyler Stice (AUB) 6-3, 6-2
2. #73 Finn Murgett (AUB) def. #96 Casey Hoole (SC) 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4
3. Alejandro Moreno (AUB) vs. James Story (SC) 6-3, 3-6, 5-4, unfinished
4. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Jelani Sarr (SC) 7-5, 7-5
5. Nicholas Heng (AUB) def. Sean Daryabeigi (SC) 6-4, 6-2
6. Will Nolan (AUB) vs. Lucas da Silva (SC) 6-7 (7), 6-2, 0-3, unfinished
Doubles Results:
1. Raul Dobai/Finn Murgett (AUB) def. #10 Toby Samuel/Casey Hoole (SC) 7-5
2. James Story/Lucas da Silva (SC) def. Billy Blaydes/Alejandro Moreno (AUB) 6-2
3. Tyler Stice/Will Nolan (AUB) def. Sean Daryabeigi/Jelani Sarr (SC) 6-3
Time of match: 3:24; Order of finish: Doubles: 2,3,1; Singles: 1,5,4,2; Official: Donna Jerome