The No. 2 ranked USC Trojans defeated No. 15 Texas A&M, 4-0, this afternoon...
Texas A&M University Team Page
SEATTLE, Wash. - The No. 2 ranked USC Trojans defeated No. 15 Texas A&M, 4-0, this afternoon in the opening round of the ITA National Indoor Championship at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle. With the loss, the Aggies fall to 7-1 on the year while the Trojans remain unbeaten at 10-0.
Live scoring and video for tomorrow's match can be found here http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-tennis/13-ita-indoors.html
"I thought USC played very well today, especially in singles," said head coach Steve Denton. "You've got to give them credit. USC took advantage of the door we left slightly open and finished very strong."
Texas A&M got off to a quick start in doubles with the 40th ranked duo of Jackson Withrow and Junior Ore defeating Ray Sarmiento and Yannick Hanfmann, 8-5, at the No. 1 line. The Trojans then took the match on the No. 3 line when Eric Johnson and Emilio Gomez rallied from a 2-5 defecit to beat Jordan Szabo and Jeremy Efferding, 8-6. With the crucial doubles point on the line, USC's Roberto Quiroz and Max de Vroome upset A&M's seventh ranked freshman-pair of Harry Adams and Shane Vinsant, 8-6.
"We had chances to win the doubles point," Denton said We won at the No. 1 line and lead 5-2 at the No. 3 line with a chance for a double break in that game, but we weren't able to convert. This was the first doubles decision we had dropped all season so we had to deal with some adversity."
Already trailing 1-0, the Aggies never found their groove in singles play. No. 78 De Vroome downed Szabo in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, from the No. 5 line to boost the Trojans lead to 2-0. A short time after, 10th ranked Sarmiento defeated Ore, 6-4, 6-2, from the No. 1 line to increase USC's lead to 3-0. The Trojans clinched the match on the No. 4 court when 84th ranked Hanfmann downed No. 100 Withrow, 6-2, 6-4.
"USC did a good job of keeping its momentum rolling in the first sets and we weren't ever able to get over the hump," Denton said on singles. "This tournament is full of opportunities for us against top-10 opponents. We have to regroup and get ready to compete again tomorrow. Our challenge is to continue to work and get better and that's what we intend to do."
Texas A&M will be in action again tomorrow when they face conference-foe, Mississippi State at 11 a.m. To learn more about the men's tennis team, visit AggieAthletics.com and follow @AggieMTEN on Twitter.
No. 2 USC, 4 No. 15 Texas A&M, 0
Singles
No. 1 - No. 10 Ray Sarmiento, USC def. Junior Ore, A&M 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 - No. 27 Emilio Gomez, USC vs. No. 124 Harry Adams, A&M, 6-3, 4-3 (Unfinished)
No. 3 - No. 24 Roberto Quiroz, USC vs. Jeremy Efferding, 6-2, 5-4 (Unfinished)
No. 4 - No. 84 Yannick Hanfmann, USC def. No. 100 Jackson Withrow, A&M 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 - No. 78 Max de Vroome, USC def. Jordan Szabo, A&M 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 - No. 61 Eric Johnson, USC vs. Behzad Minavi, A&M 6-4, 2-3 (Unfinished)
Doubles
No. 1 - No. 40 Withrow/Ore, A&M def. Sarmiento/Hanfmann, USC 8-5
No. 2 - Quiroz/de Vroome, USC def. No. 7 Adams/Vinsant, 8-6
No. 3 - Johnson/Gomez, USC def. Szabo/Efferding, 8-6
Order of finish: Doubles 1, 3, 2 Singles 5, 1, 4
*clinched the match
Texas A&M (7-1), USC (10-0)