KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee men’s tennis team saw its season come to a close Saturday at Barksdale Stadium, falling to South Carolina in the NCAA Super Regional round, 4-2.
The Vols finish the 2023 dual season with a 23-8 overall record, having recorded the 22nd Super Regional appearance in program history.
South Carolina (22-6) took the doubles point, clinching on court one as the Gamecocks’ top-ranked pair of Connor Thomson and Toby Samuel battled past Tennessee’s fourth-ranked Johannus Monday and Pat Harper in a tiebreaker, 7-6(5).
In singles play, Tennessee (23-8) won five first sets, but the Gamecocks took a 2-0 advantage behind a 6-3, 6-1 win on court three as #116 James Story defeated UT’s Blaise Bicknell.
With straight-set wins at the bottom of the singles lineup, Tennessee evened the match at 2-all. Angel Diaz won decisively at the No. 5 position, 6-2, 6-3, over #102 Casey Hoole. On court six, Tomas Rodriguez took down Lucas da Silva with a victory in the second-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
South Carolina took a 3-2 lead with a win on court four and eventually clinched the match as #16 Connor Thomson battled past #31 Emile Hudd of Tennessee in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4), on court two.
Fifth-ranked Monday led 5-4 in his third set against No. 10 Toby Samuel, upon the top-10 singles matchup going unfinished.
RESULTS: Tennessee 2, South Carolina 4
Doubles
1. #1 Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (SC) def. #4 Johannus Monday/Pat Harper (UT) 7-6 (7-5)
2. #59 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #48 Jake Beasley/James Story (SC) 6-4
3. Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling (SC) def. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) 6-3
Order of Finish: (3,2,1)
The Vols finish the 2023 dual season with a 23-8 overall record, having recorded the 22nd Super Regional appearance in program history.
South Carolina (22-6) took the doubles point, clinching on court one as the Gamecocks’ top-ranked pair of Connor Thomson and Toby Samuel battled past Tennessee’s fourth-ranked Johannus Monday and Pat Harper in a tiebreaker, 7-6(5).
In singles play, Tennessee (23-8) won five first sets, but the Gamecocks took a 2-0 advantage behind a 6-3, 6-1 win on court three as #116 James Story defeated UT’s Blaise Bicknell.
With straight-set wins at the bottom of the singles lineup, Tennessee evened the match at 2-all. Angel Diaz won decisively at the No. 5 position, 6-2, 6-3, over #102 Casey Hoole. On court six, Tomas Rodriguez took down Lucas da Silva with a victory in the second-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
South Carolina took a 3-2 lead with a win on court four and eventually clinched the match as #16 Connor Thomson battled past #31 Emile Hudd of Tennessee in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4), on court two.
Fifth-ranked Monday led 5-4 in his third set against No. 10 Toby Samuel, upon the top-10 singles matchup going unfinished.
RESULTS: Tennessee 2, South Carolina 4
Doubles
1. #1 Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (SC) def. #4 Johannus Monday/Pat Harper (UT) 7-6 (7-5)
2. #59 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #48 Jake Beasley/James Story (SC) 6-4
3. Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling (SC) def. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) 6-3
Order of Finish: (3,2,1)
Singles
1. #5 Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #10 Toby Samuel (SC) 7-6 (7-1), 5-7, 5-4, unfinished
2. #16 Connor Thomson (SC) def. #31 Emile Hudd (UT) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
3. #116 James Story (SC) def. Blaise Bicknell (UT) 6-3, 6-1
4. #122 Raphael Lambling (SC) def. #117 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
5. Angel Diaz (UT) def. #102 Casey Hoole (SC) 6-2, 6-3
6. Tomas Rodriguez (UT) def. Lucas da Silva (SC) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)
Order of Finish: (3,5,6,4,2)
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