Blue Devils Fall to No. 13 South Carolina in 4-3 Thriller

Sunday, January 30

Columbia, S.C.

2 p.m.

Duke University

[13] South Carolina

Connor Krug battles against Elon during Duke's match

Blue Devils Fall to No. 13 South Carolina in 4-3 Thriller

1/30/2022 7:38:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Duke dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision in the ITA Kickoff Weekend championship match to No. 13 and host South Carolina on Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center.

The doubles point proved to be the difference on Sunday as both teams registered three singles wins in the match. The Blue Devils turned a 1-0 deficit in doubles play into a 3-2 advantage with two singles matches remaining, but their nationally ranked foe recorded back-to-back three set victories to claim the overall win.

South Carolina's Jake Beasley and Toby Samuel started the day by besting Michael Heller and Andrew Zhang 6-1 on court two in doubles action. Daniel Rodrigues and Connor Thomson then secured the doubles point for the hosts when they defeated No. 39 Garrett Johns and Sean Sculley, 6-2, on the main court. The match on court three between Duke's Faris Khan and Niroop Vallabhaneni against Raphael Lambling and James Story went unfinished with the set tied at 5-5.

The Blue Devils quickly knotted the score at 1-1 after sophomore Andrew Dale began singles play with 6-0, 6-4 wins over Beasley on court five. The Gamecocks would respond to pull back in front 2-1 following Thomson's 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 38 Khan on court three.

Duke would continue to battle back though as Connor Krug and Vallabhaneni earned wins on their respective courts to hand the Blue Devils a 3-2 edge. Krug bested Lambling 6-3, 7-5 on court four before Vallabhaneni beat Story on court six, 7-6 (4), 7-5.

South Carolina rallied back to tie the overall match at 3-3 following No. 29 Rodrigues' win over No. 76 Johns. In the opening set on court one, Johns registered a 6-0 victory, but Rodrigues would earn 6-4, 6-2 wins in the final two sets to claim the win.

With the overall match coming down to the result on court two, both players recorded wins in the opening two frames to set up a thrilling final set. Zhang tallied a 6-4 victory over No. 50 Toby Samuel in the first frame before dropping a 7-6 (7) heartbreaker in the second. Samuel would go on to record a 6-2 victory in the final set to advance the Gamecocks to the National Team Indoor Championship.

The Blue Devils remain on the road for their next two matches as they head to Illinois and Northwestern. Duke will face off against the Illini on Friday at 6 p.m. CT before meeting up with the Wildcats on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.

RESULTS
Doubles (2,1*)
1. Daniel Rodrigues/Connor Thomson (South Carolina) def. #39 Garrett Johns/Sean Sculley (Duke) 6-2
2. Jake Beasley/Toby Samuel (South Carolina) def. Andrew Zhang/Michael Heller (Duke) 6-1
3. Raphael Lambling/James Story (South Carolina) vs. Faris Khan/Niroop Vallabhaneni (Duke) 5-5, unfinished

Singles (5,3,4,6,1,2*)
1. #29 Daniel Rodrigues (South Carolina) def. #76 Garrett Johns (Duke) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. #50 Toby Samuel (South Carolina) def. Andrew Zhang (Duke) 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2
3. Connor Thomson (South Carolina) def. #38 Faris Khan (Duke) 6-1, 6-2
4. Connor Krug (Duke) def. Raphael Lambling (South Carolina) 6-3, 7-5
5. Andrew Dale (Duke) def. Jake Beasley (South Carolina) 6-0, 6-4
6. Niroop Vallabhaneni (Duke) def. James Story (South Carolina) 7-6 (7-4), 7-5

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