Over the weekend, South Carolina tennis received its highest national team ranking since 1989. Less than a week after knocking off the fifth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats on the road, the Gamecocks took over their ranking. Earlier in the year, South Carolina tennis had won top-12 matchups over North Carolina, Baylor, and Wake Forest.
The newly-minted #5 men’s tennis team in the country welcomed in #4 Ohio State for a top-5 matchup at Carolina Tennis Center on Wednesday. The highest-profile regular season matchup in Gamecock tennis history had a good fan turnout, and those in attendance were not disappointed with the show put on by the home team.
The Gamecocks started the scoring by winning the doubles point, even though they did not win the first of the three doubles matches. After a quick response from Raphael Lambling and Casey Hoole to even the doubles scoring, the Gamecocks’ nationally-ranked #1 doubles team of Toby Samuel and Connor Thomson clinched the point by beating the #7 doubles team of Andrew Lutschaunig and James Trotter.
The Gamecocks went on to win 4-1, gaining one point in the doubles matchup, conceding a point to the Buckeyes in the 2-slot in singles, and winning the 1, 6, and 4 matches. Because tennis matches are built on a best-of-seven format, the 3 and 5 matches were left unfinished as the Gamecocks built up an insurmountable lead with their doubles point and three singles victories. Winning singles players for the Gamecocks were Toby Samuel, Jake Beasley, and James Story (clincher) who all dispatched their Buckeye opponents in straight sets.
After winning the clinching point, James Story told Amanda Poole from WACHFox Columbia that the Gamecocks didn’t just beat the Buckeyes on Wednesday but also the prognosticators. “It was a bit of a demolition,” Story said, and he added that it was extra special to beat the “golden team” Ohio State.
A full write-up of the Carolina victory can be found at gamecocksonline.com.
Safe to say, Head Coach Josh Goffi’s squad was hyped up after the win.
The video speaks for itself ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WqLo3TKR6c
— Gamecock Men's Tennis (@GamecockMTennis) March 8, 2023
Gamecock men’s tennis will be in action again on Friday, March 10th when they take on the 66th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide at home at 3:00.