Feb. 5, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn took No. 24 Georgia Tech down to the third set of the deciding match before the Yellow Jackets posted a 4-3 win Sunday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
"To be able to come down to three-all against the team that's ranked No. 24 in the country says a lot about where we are," said Auburn coach Bobby Reynolds. "The guys were playing well and hit the ball well. We still need to find some more in our doubles game in consistency, because getting that doubles point is huge."
Playing No. 1 singles, Auburn senior Max Hinnisdaels posted his best win of the season, defeating Christopher Eubanks, the nation's ninth-ranked player, by a 6-4, 6-4 score. That win gave Auburn its first team point of the afternoon.
"Max came up against an unbelievable player and to beat him indoors speaks even more about his game today. He stayed the course, he got as many points as he could off the return game and he put himself in a place to win. He's been hitting the ball well, but this is him breaking through and this will help him in the long run."
Senior Dante Saleh followed that with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Daniel Yun on court five to give Auburn a 2-1 advantage, before Georgia Tech captured matches on courts three and four to take a 3-2 lead.
Sophomore Brandon Laubser, playing on court six, and freshman Carles Sarrio on court two extended their matches into a third set. Laubser dominated in his second and third sets, winning the match 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 over Elijah Melendez to tie the team match at 3-3. Sarrio battled but fell to Tech senior Carlos Benito 6-3 in the final set to give Georgia Tech the team win.
Although Hinnisdaels and Conner Huertas del Pino were in a spirited 4-4 battle at number one doubles with the Yellow Jackets' top tandem of Eubanks and Michael Kay, Georgia Tech captured the doubles point with wins on courts two and three.
The Tigers (4-2) are on the road next weekend with matches at Tulane on Friday and at South Alabama on Saturday. Auburn returns home for a doubleheader with Samford Saturday, February 18; matches are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. All home matches are at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (771 Yarbrough Farms Blvd., Auburn) and admission is free.
Georgia Tech 4, Auburn 3
Singles
Max Hinnisdaels (AU) def. #9 Christopher Eubanks (GT) 6-4, 6-4
Carlos Benito (GT) def. Carles Sarrio (AU) 6-7 (2), 6-0, 6-3
Chris Yun (GT) def. Conner Huertas del Pino (AU) 6-2, 6-4
Cole Fiegel (GT) def. Edward Nguyen (AU) 6-3, 7-5
Dante Saleh (AU) def. Daniel Yun (GT) 6-2, 6-3
Brandon Laubser (AU) def. Elijah Melendez (GT) 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
#14 Max Hinnisdaels/Conner Huertas del Pino (AU) vs. Christopher Eubanks/Michael Kay (GT) 4-4 unfinished
Carlos Benito/Carlos Divar (GT) def. Edward Nguyen/Dante Saleh (AU) 6-2
Cole Fiegel/Daniel Yun (GT) def. Carles Sarrio/Olle Thestrup (AU) 6-1
Time of Match: 2:36; Order of Finish: Doubles: 3,2; Singles: 1,5,3,4,6,2