#43 South Carolina Defeats #18 Clemson 4-3

COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina’s Kyle Koch defeated Zachary Rigsby at number-five singles in clinching the match and leading the Gamecocks to a 4-3 win over Clemson in Columbia, SC Sunday evening.With the win, South Carolina improves to 10-5 overall, while Clemson falls to 9-2 this season.  The Gamecocks are ranked 43rd nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, while Clemson is ranked 18th.  The loss snaps a four- match winning streak by the Tigers.   The match was played indoors due to cool weather conditions.South Carolina won the doubles point as Chip Cox and Tesvetan Mihov won at number-one doubles over Clemson’s Yannick Maden and Rigsby 9-7.  Cox and Mihov are ranked 33rd as a doubles team in the latest rankings.South Carolina extended its lead to 2-0 when Andrew Adams defeated the Tigers’ Hunter Harrington 6-4, 6-2 at number-two singles.  From this point, Clemson rallied and won two straight matches.   At number-three singles, Gerado Meza defeated Cox 7-5, 6-4.  The Tigers’ Yannick Maden defeated Tsvetan Mihov at number-one singles 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 for his 15th victory of the season in singles play.  Maden is ranked 57th in the latest ITA poll.The Gamecocks won the next two singles matches to claim the match.  Thiago Pinheiro defeated Clemson Ayrton Wibowo 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 at number-four singles to give South Carolina a 3-2 advantage in the match.  At number-five singles Koch won over Rigsby 6-3, 7-5 to give South Carolina the 4-2 margin.Clemson’s Austin Ansari defeated Harry Menzies at number-six singles 7-5, 7-5 to make the final score, 4-3.  Ansari won his 10th singles match and is undefeated in dual match play with an 8-0 record.Today’s match was the 105th meeting between the two schools on the tennis courts in a series that dates back to the 1925 season.    “It was a hard fought match with both teams fighting for momentum throughout the competition,” said Clemson Head Men’s Tennis Coach Chuck McCuen.  “We had a good opportunity at # 1 doubles up a double break point at 6-5, but were not able to capitalize.  Yannick went on to serve out the next game that made it even.  At this level it is a game of points, and today we came up short.  “Yannick Maden, Gerardo Meza, and Austin Ansari again played very solid, giving Clemson our three points.  The great thing about this team is that we continue to grow each and every day and today’s loss was no different.  We will work on what we experienced in today’s match and be better for it.  “I want to thank all the Clemson faithful who made it down to Columbia to support us and look forward to seeing them again this Tuesday against William & Mary at home,” said McCuen.#43 South Carolina 4, #18 Clemson 3Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1)1.  (33) Chip Cox/Tsvetan Mihov (SC) def. Yannick Maden/Zachary Rigsby (CU) 9-72.  Kyle Koch / Harry Menzies (SC) def. Austin Ansari/Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 8-13.  Hunter Harrington/Gerardo Meza (CU) def. Ben Barnette/Thiago Pinheiro (SC) 8-6Singles (Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 5, 6)1. (57) Yannick Maden def. (105) Tsvetan Mihov (SC) 3-6, 6-3, 6-22.  Andrew Adams (SC) def. Hunter Harrington (CU) 6-4, 6-23.  Gerardo Meza (CU) def. Chip Cox (SC) 7-5, 6-44.  Thiago Pinheiro (SC) def. Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-25.  Kyle Koch (SC) def. Zachary Rigsby (CU) 6-3, 7-56. Austin Ansari (CU) def. Harry Menzies (SC) 7-5, 7-5