Complete Match Score (.html)
SPARTANBURG, S.C.- The Wofford men’s tennis team was defeated on Thursday afternoon by cross-town foe USC Upstate 7-0 on the Spartans home courts. The loss snaps a three match win streak for the Terriers as they fall to 3-6 while the Spartans improve to 8-2.
"I have to give Upstate credit, they have a good team and were better than we were today. Although we lost the match, I can certainly take a lot of good things away it,” noted Coach Rod Ray. “We got some really good experience today against a good team and we will learn and improve from it. The only real disappointment is that we had the doubles and let it get away from us.”
The Terriers looked to have the doubles point in hand as they as split matches on courts one and two and were up a break on court three before USC Upstate pushed it to a tiebreaker. Playing at No. 3, Tinus Van Wyk and Scott Collins went up a mini break in the tiebreaker and had a match point opportunity at 6-5 but were unable to convert. The Spartan duo of Jack Roux and Edgar Rodriguez won the next three points to win the match 9-8 (6) and give USC Upstate the doubles point and a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
In singles play Wofford was unable to pull out a victory. At No. 4, Van Wyk lost in a third set match tiebreaker 6-3, 6-7 (1), 1-0 (10-4). Alan Donald also took his opponent to a third set match tiebreaker but fell 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-3) on court No. 5. USC Upstate took the remaining four singles match in straight sets.
“We are much better than we were two weeks ago and I guarantee we will be much better than we are now when we head into conference play in a couple of weeks,” said Ray.
The Terriers return to action Friday morning as they take on Cornell in a neutral site match at Furman. Match time is slated for 9 a.m.
