Clemson Upsets #21 Auburn 5-2

AUBURN, AL – Clemson freshman Austin Ansari defeated Joseph Van Dooren at number-six singles in clinching the match as Clemson upset #21 Auburn 5-2 in a men’s intercollegiate tennis match at Auburn, AL Friday afternoon.Auburn is ranked 21st nationally while Clemson is ranked 51st according to the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.  Clemson improves to 9-1 overall, while Auburn falls to 7-2 this season.This is the highest-ranked team that Clemson has defeated in Head Coach Chuck McCuen‘s tenure that started in 2009.  It is also the highest ranked team that Clemson has defeated since the Tigers defeated 20th-ranked N.C. State 6-1 on April 7, 2007.  It is the highest ranked team that Clemson has defeated on the road since the Tigers defeated 18th-ranked Georgia Tech on March 8th, 2006.Today’s match was only the seventh time the two teams have played and today’s win was Clemson’s third in the series.  The only other time Clemson has defeated Auburn on the road was on February 19, 1977.  In that match, Clemson defeated Auburn 5-4.  The first match in the series was on March 31, 1941 when Auburn prevailed 4-2 over Clemson at Auburn, AL.”This team really perseveres,” said Clemson Head Men’s Tennis Coach Chuck McCuen.    They believe they can stay in matches no matter the score or the situation.  They are fighters.  When we were down after the doubles point, I thought that point was going to be critical coming into the match.  We were disappointed at the break.  However, we challenged the team to go back to work, and they responded.”Auburn started the match by winning the doubles point.  The nation’s number one doubles team of Daniel Cochrane and Andreas Mies defeated Yannick Maden and Zacharay Rigsby 8-3 at number-one doubles.  Auburn also won at number two doubles to take an early 1-0 lead.In singles play, Clemson evened the match score 1-1 when Rigsby defeated Lucas Lopasso of Auburn 6-2, 6-0.  Rigsby is now 6-1 overall in singles.Auburn took a 2-1 advantage in the match when Dennis Lengsfeld defeated Clemson’s Ayrton Wibowo 6-2, 6-0 at number-four singles.  From this point Clemson won the next four singles matches.At number-three singles Gerardo Meza of Clemson won his seventh match of the season as he upset #120-ranked Lukas Ollert 6-4, 6-1.Yannick Maden, ranked 83rd nationally, put Clemson ahead 3-2 in the match as he defeated Mies 6-2, 6-2 at number-one singles.  Maden is now 14-4 overall this season in singles play.  In dual matches he is 8-1 this season.”Yannick played great,” said McCuen.  He played smart, textbook tennis, and this trickled down to the other courts.  “Ansari played a solid first set and in the third set with the pressure on, he stepped up and would not go away.  He fought in the third set and clinched the match for us,” said McCuen.Ansari clinched the match for Clemson with his 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Dooren at number-six singles.  Ansari is now 9-3 overall and 7-0 in dual matches.  Clemson’s Hunter Harrington won his match at number-two singles as he won over Cochrane 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 as he improved his singles record to 10-4 overall and 6-1 in dual matches.”We are going to enjoy this match, but not for long as we will go back to work and prepare for some tough matches ahead,” said McCuen.Clemson will play at South Carolina in Columbia on Sunday March 3, at 1:00 p.m. in the Tigers’ next action.Clemson 5, Auburn 2          Singles1. #83 Yannick Maden (CU) d. #106 Andreas Mies (A) 6-3, 6-22. Hunter Harrington (CU) d. Daniel Cochrane (A) 7-5, 3-6, 6-33. Gerardo Meza (CU) d. #120 Lukas Ollert (A) 6-4, 6-1    4. Dennis Lengsfeld, (A) Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 6-2, 6-0    5. Zachary Rigsby (CU) d. Lucas Lopasso (A) 6-2, 6-0    6. Austin Ansari (CU) d. Joseph Van Dooren (A) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3    Doubles1. #1 Cochrane/Mies (A) d. Y. Maden/Rigsby (CU) 8-32. Lengsfeld/Lopasso (A) d. Ansari/Wibowo (CU) 9-73. Harrington/Meza (CU) d. Ollert/Van Dooren (A) 8-6