AIKEN, S.C. - Unable to claim its third victory on the week, Anderson University men's tennis dropped a nonconference decision to USC Aiken, 5-0, Thursday afternoon at the USC Aiken Tennis Complex.
With the setback, the Trojans, who were regionally ranked 11th in the first edition of the NCAA Southeast Regional Rankings released on Wednesday, snap a brief two-match winning streak and close their regular season with a 13-4 record. With the nonconference victory, the Pacers move to an even 8-8 for the campaign.
In doubles, USC Aiken captured all three matches, as Julien Tan and Alejandro Andino defeated AU's Mateo Rivas and Paul Michael Calhoun, 8-3, at the No. 1 position, while Andy Quirk and Mathias Degardin knocked off Nicolas Ascarrunz and Harrison Kansol, 8-4, at No. 2. At No. 3 USCA's Clement Raymond and Ronan Reberac claimed an 8-5 triumph over Anderson's Juan Carracedo and Inaki Iriberry at the No. 3 slot.
For the singles round, the Pacers needed just two wins from Ettore Damiani at No. 1 and Tan at No. 2 to claim the team win, as Damiani defeated Carracedo 6-4, 6-2, while Tan fended off Ascarrunz in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. Rivas and Calhoun's matches at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, went unfinished.
Anderson turns its focus to the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Tournament beginning on April 16 on the campus of Brevard College. Tournament pairings will be announced by the league office next week.
