TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The 12th-ranked Texas A&M men’s tennis team rolled to a 4-1 victory over the 35th-ranked Crimson Tide at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. With the win, the Aggies snap a four-match losing skid as they get set to return home for the final weekend slate of the season. The Maroon and White improve to 14-11 and 5-5 in SEC action while the Crimson Tide fall to 12-10 and 3-7 in conference action.

 

“This was a big win for our confidence after we had lost a couple of close ones on the road,” Texas A&M head coach Steve Denton said. “I’m proud of these guys for coming back after losing the doubles point. Shane and Jeremy played very well in their singles matches. This was a very big road win for this team.”

 

For the fourth time in its past five matches, Texas A&M failed to claim the critical doubles point. Alabama claimed the first match in the doubles when the 25th-ranked tandem of Harrison Adams and Shane Vinsant’s late rally came up just short as they were upset by Becker O’Shaugnessey and Daniel Proskura, 8-5, at the No. 2 double line. The duo of Jordan Szabo and Jeremy Efferding won their doubles contest, 8-5, at the No. 3 line over Stuart Kenyon and Phillipe Tsangarides to make the deciding factor in doubles to come from the No. 1 line. The 11th-ranked pair of Jackson Withrow and Junior Ore was pushed to a tiebreaker but couldn’t capitalize as they were upset by the No. 49-duo of Jarryd Botha and David Vieyra, 9-8 (7), allowing the Crimson Tide to claim the doubles point.

 

The Maroon and White didn’t waste any time bouncing back, however, as Texas A&M won five-of-six first sets in singles. 93rd-ranked Vinsant took down Vieyra in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, at the No. 4 line to tie the match, 1-1. 40th-ranked Efferding then gave the Aggies the lead for the first time on the afternoon when he bested 69th-ranked Botha, 6-3, 6-3, at the No. 1 line. 118th-ranked Withrow pushed the lead to 3-1 when he ousted Stuart Kenyon, 7-5, 6-3, at the No. 5 line. Szabo then clinched the match for the Aggies at the No. 6 line after dropping his first set. The sophomore from Australia bested Harris Barnard, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, to secure the victory for the Aggies. This marked the first victory of the season where Texas A&M lost the doubles point but rallied to win four singles matches.

 

Texas A&M will be in action again on Friday, April 12, when it returns home for the final weekend home stand of the regular season starting with Mississippi State. To learn more about the men’s tennis team and other Aggie sports, visit AggieAthletics.com and follow @AggieMTEN on Twitter.

 

No. 12 Texas A&M def. No. 35 Alabama, 4-1

 

Singles

 

No. 1 – No. 40 Jeremy Efferding, A&M def. No. 69 Jarryd Botha, UA 6-3, 6-3

No. 2 – Junior Ore, A&M vs. Daniel Proskura, UA 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (unfinished)

No. 3 – Harry Adams, A&M vs. No. 91 Becker O’Shaughnessey, UA 7-5, 5-7 (unfinished)

No. 4 – No. 93 Shane Vinsant, A&M def. David Vieyra, UA 6-1, 6-1

No. 5 – No. 118 Jackson Withrow, A&M vs. Stuart Kenyon, UA 7-5, 6-3

No. 6 – Jordan Szabo, A&M def. Harris Barnard, UA 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

 

Doubles

 

No. 1 – No. 49 Botha/Vieyra, UA def. No. 11 Ore/Withrow, A&M 9-8 (7)

No. 2 – O’Shaughnessey/Proskura, UA def. No. 25 Adams/Vinsant, A&M 8-5

No. 3 – Efferding/Szabo, A&M def. Kenyon/Tsangarides, UA 8-5

 

Order of finish: Doubles 2, 3, 1; Singles 4, 1, 5, 6*

*clinched the match

Texas A&M (14-11, 5-5 SEC); Alabama (12-10, 3-7 SEC)