Box Score
ANDERSON, S.C. – Anderson men's tennis (9-4, 2-2 SAC) scored a 4-1 win over conference rival Tusculum (2-4, 0-1 SAC) on Thursday afternoon at the Trojan Tennis Complex. The win marked Anderson's first victory over Tusculum since 2020 and their first home triumph in the series since 2018.
"I'm super proud of the guys today," AU Head Coach Joey Eskridge said after the win. "It was a great fight from the beginning, winning No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, and we were up at No. 2. The guys came out and played well. The conditions were terrible, very windy. We fought hard, took the first set on five of the six [singles] courts, and converted when we needed to. Wynn came up huge, 4-1 down in the third. We give God all the glory, because nothing else can explain it. Go Trojans!"
The Black and Gold began the match the right way by taking the doubles point. Patrick Cronin and Vicent Mico rattled off five straight games to take a 6-2 decision at No. 3, before Jackson Lucas and Wynn Shioi turned a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 win at No. 1. Mathis Collignon and Sky Thavornchaisophon led 5-3 at the time play was stopped.
Armed with the doubles point, the Trojans didn't slow down in singles play. Collignon rolled on court one for a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win to put AU up 2-0.
Sophomore Poojith Reddy battled through a first-set tiebreak on his way to a 7-6(3), 6-2 win that put AU a point away from victory. Tusculum answered back with a win at the No. 5 spot, cutting their deficit to 3-1.
Despite trailing 4-1 in a deciding third set, Shioi didn't back down. The Las Vegas, Nev. native staged a comeback that ended with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 win that clinched the match for the Trojans.
When play was stopped following the clinch, Mico was mere points away from adding another win for AU, as he led 6-3, 6-5. Thavornchaisophon was nearing a victory as well at No. 4, where he led 6-2, 5-7, 4-3 at the time.
UP NEXT
AU is back on the road for a Saturday afternoon match against No. 25 Wingate (6-0, 3-0 SAC) at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the Wingate Tennis Complex. Last season, the No. 31 Bulldogs blanked AU 7-0.
Anderson 4, Tusculum 1
Singles results:
1. Mathis Collignon (AU) def. Rens Verhaar (TU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Wynn Shioi (AU) def. Nathan Matsuguma (TU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
3. Vicent Mico (AU) def. Anton Krondell (TU) 6-3, 6-5 unf.
4. Sky Thavornchaisophon (AU) vs. Will Gee (TU) 6-2, 5-7, 4-3 unf.
5. Miles Ray (TU) def. Hampton Goldman (AU) 7-6(4), 6-2
6. Poojith Reddy (AU) def. Sarthak Sharma (TU) 7-6(3), 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 6, 5, 3
Doubles results:
1. Jackson Lucas/Wynn Shioi (AU) def. Will Gee/Rens Verhaar (TU) 6-4
2. Mathis Collignon/Sky Thavornchaisophon (AU) vs. Anton Krondell/Miles Ray (TU) 5-3
3. Patrick Cronin/Vicent Mico (AU) def. Angelos Avgeris/Nathan Matsuguma (TU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Match Notes:
Anderson 9-4, 2-2 SAC
Tusculum 2-4, 0-1 SAC
T - 2:48
Att: 80
Written by AU student-athlete Drew Cagle
