SEATTLE -- The No. 2 USC men's tennis team made short work of No. 15 Texas A&M today in the first round of action at the ITA National Indoor Championships in Seattle. The Trojans were fully loaded for this bout with their highest ranked opponent to date this season, surrendering just one doubles match before pinning up victories the rest of the way. USC got the clincher from court four, where #94 Yannick Hanfmann breezed by #100 Aggie Jackson Withrow 6-2, 6-4 to improve USC's overall record to 10-0 and secure advancement to tomorrow's quarterfinals.
After Texas A&M's #40 doubles pair Ore/WIthrow edged out USC's #48 Hanfmann/Sarmiento on court one, the Trojans buckled down on courts two and three to push through and snag the doubles point. #49 Trojan pair Gomez/Johnson worked past Efferding/Szabo for an 8-6 win, and then de Vroome/Quiroz matched that score with their upset of #7 Adams/Vinsant at the No. 2 spot. That pocketed the first point and some crucial momentum for the Trojans en route to singles action.
USC would dish out straight-set wins down the line in a sprint to finish off the Aggies in singles. #109 Max de Vroome dealt out a swift 6-3, 6-3 win over Jordan Szabo on court five, and then #12 Ray Sarmiento rallied out of reach of Junior Ore for a 6-4, 6-2 win that put the Trojans within striking distance. The final blow came from #94 Yannick Hanfmann at the No. 4 spot, as his 6-2, 6-4 win over #100 Jackson Withrow wrapped up the 4-0 win for the Trojans and suspended play on the remaining courts, with USC up across the board.
USC will face either No. 7 Kentucky or No. 10 Mississippi State in tomorrow's quarterfinals at 11 a.m. in Seattle, as the Trojans continue to make their defense of their 2012 National Indoor title.
2013 ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
ROUND OF 16 - Feb. 15, 2013 (Seattle)
#2 USC 4, #15 Texas A&M 0
DOUBLES
(1) #40 Ore/Withrow (TAMU) def. #48 Hanfmann/Sarmiento (USC) - 8-5
(2) De Vroome/Quiroz (USC) def. #7 Adams/Vinsant (TAMU) - 8-6
(3) #49 Gomez/Johnson (USC) def. Efferding/Szabo (TAMU) - 8-6
USC wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
SINGLES
(1) #12 Ray Sarmiento (USC) def. Junior Ore (TAMU) - 6-4, 6-2
(2) #10 Emilio Gomez (USC) vs. #124 Harrison Adams (TAMU) - 6-3, 4-3 susp.
(3) #23 Roberto Quiroz (USC) vs. Jeremy Efferding (TAMU) - 6-2, 5-4 susp.
(4) #94 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) def. #100 Jackson Withrow (TAMU) - 6-2, 6-4*
(5) #109 Max de Vroome (USC) def. Jordan Szabo (TAMU) - 6-3, 6-3
(6) #46 Eric Johnson (USC) vs. Behzad Minavi (TAMU) - 6-4, 2-3 susp.
Order of finish: 5, 1, 4
