Gamecock tennis team punches its ticket to Orlando

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The South Carolina men’s tennis team is looking like the team that was ranked as high as second nationally during the regular season.

The eighth-ranked Gamecocks, who had an early exit from the SEC Tournament, defeated ninth-ranked Tennessee Saturday in the NCAA Round of 16.

South Carolina took the doubles point and secured wins on three singles courts in the victory.

The win marks South Carolina’s first trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals since 1989. During the 1989 season, the team advanced to the semifinal match.

The Gamecocks will face the winner of No. 1 seed Texas and No. 16 seed North Carolina at the USTA National Campus in Orlando on Thursday, May 18. Match times will be announced at a later date.

(8) South Carolina 4, (9) Tennessee 2

Doubles (order of finish: 3, 2, 1)

#1 Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (SC) def. #4 Johannus Monday/Pat Harper (UT) 7-6 (7-5)#59 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #48 Jake Beasley/James Story (SC) 6-4Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling (SC) def. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) 6-3

Singles (order of finish: 3, 5, 6, 4, 2)

#5 Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #10 Toby Samuel (SC) 7-6 (7-1), 5-7, 5-4, unfinished#16 Connor Thomson (SC) def. #31 Emile Hudd (UT) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)#116 James Story (SC) def. Blaise Bicknell (UT) 6-3, 6-1#122 Raphael Lambling (SC) def. #117 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0Angel Diaz (UT) def. #102 Casey Hoole (SC) 6-2, 6-3Tomas Rodriguez (UT) def. Lucas da Silva (SC) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)