COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M true freshman Jeremy Efferding defeated another true freshman Aggie teammate, Jackson Withrow, and then took down the No. 3 seed Roberto Maytin of Baylor to advance to the singles final of the 2011 USTA/ITA Division I Texas Regional Championships at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center on the campus of Texas A&M University. Efferding, who was not seeded in the field, will face the top-seed Gonzalo Escobar from Texas Tech in a match that will begin Monday, Oct. 24 at 10 a.m.
"Our theme in the fall has kind of been a new beginning for Aggie tennis," Aggie men's tennis coach Steve Denton said. "With so many young players in our lineup, our young pups are really being tested. They are putting in the time and the hard work and seeing the results on the courts. They are gaining confidence with their play against some of these more experienced players and that shows these youngsters can compete at this level."
"Overall, the team as a whole did well this weekend," Denton explained. "The young guys faced some challenges and answered quite a few and fared well. Jeremy (Efferding) would be the highlight today advancing to the singles championship tomorrow. It was great to have four individuals in the quarterfinals and to have two doubles teams in the semifinals was outstanding. The encouraging thing is we continue to get better."
In Sunday's action, Efferding, who grew up in Dallas before moving with his family to Florida, faced fellow freshman Withrow from Nebraska. The Aggie duo battled in a close match with Efferding edging Withrow, 7-5, 6-4.
In the semifinal match against one of the top players from the Baylor squad, Efferding outlasted Maytin, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
TEXAS A&M RESULTS:
SINGLES
First Round
Daniel Whitehead (Texas) def. John Lewis (Texas A&M), 6-1, 6-3
Colin Hoover (Texas A&M) def. Orlando Superlando (TCU), 6-2, 6-1
Niall Angus (Texas A&M) def. Gaston Cuadranti (SMU), 7-6 (4), 6-2
Alberto Bautista (Texas A&M) def. David Holiner (Texas), 6-4, 6-4
#5 Junior Ore (Texas A&M) def. Will Stein (TCU), 6-2, 6-3
Jeremy Efferding (Texas A&M) def. Mason Harrell (SMU), 6-1, 6-4
Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) def. Ben Chen (Texas), 6-4, 6-3
Second Round
Colin Hoover (Texas A&M) def. #5 Daniel Whitehead (Texas), 6-3, 7-6 (1)
#4 Mate Zsiga (Baylor) def. Niall Angus (Texas A&M), 2-6, 7-5, 4-2 Ret. Inj
Alberto Bautista (Texas A&M) def. Jacoby Lewis (Texas), 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Soren Hess-Olesen (Texas) def. #5 Junior Ore (Texas A&M), 6-3, 6-4
Jeremy Efferding (Texas A&M) def. Nick Chappell (TCU), 6-3, 6-3
Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) def. #2 Harry Fowler (Rice), 6-1, 6-4
Quarterfinals
#1 Gonzalo Escobar (Texas Tech) def. Colin Hoover (Texas A&M), 6-3, 7-6
#4 Mate Zsiga (Baylor) def. Alberto Bautista (Texas A&M), 6-0, 6-2
Jeremy Efferding (Texas A&M) def. Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M), 7-5, 6-4
Semifinals
Jeremy Efferding (Texas A&M) def. #3 Roberto Maytin (Baylor), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
FINALS
Monday, Oct. 24/10 am Jeremy Efferding vs. #1 Gonzalo Escobar (Texas Tech)
DOUBLES
First Round
Jeremy Efferding/Colin Hoover (Texas A&M) BYE
#4 Alexis Klegou/Junior Ore (Texas A&M) BYE
Alberto Bautista/Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) BYE
Niall Angus/John Lewis (Texas A&M) BYE
Second Round
Jeremy Efferding/Colin Hoover (Texas A&M) def. Will Stein/Blake Wiggins (TCU), 8-3
#4 Alexis Klegou/Junior Ore (Texas A&M) def. Leif Berger/Andy Wang (Rice), 8-1
Alberto Bautista/Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) def. Andrew Maingot/Nathan Robinson (A&M/CC), 8-4
#2 Roberto Maytin/Mate Zsiga (Baylor) def. Niall Angus/John Lewis (Texas A&M), 8-4
Third Round
Jeremy Efferding/Colin Hoover (Texas A&M) def. Harry Fowler/Michael Nussiein (Rice), 8-5
#4 Alexis Klegou/Junior Ore (Texas A&M) def. Peter Jordao/Aurelien Tave (A&M-CC), 8-2
Alberto Bautista/Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) def. Jacoby Lewis/Sudanwa Sitaram (Texas), 8-5
Quarterfinals
Chris Camillone/David Holiner (Texas) def. Jeremy Efferding/Colin Hoover (Texas A&M), 8-3
#4 Alexis Klegou/Junior Ore (Texas A&M) def. Soren Hess-Olesen/Alex Hilliard (Texas), 8-3
Alberto Bautista/Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M) def. #3 Rafael Garcia/Gabriel Wanderley (Texas Tech),
8-4
Semifinals
Chris Camillone/David Holiner (Texas) def. #4 Alexis Klegou/Junior Ore (Texas A&M), 8-5
Ben Chen/Daniel Whitehead (Texas) def. Alberto Bautista/Jackson Withrow (Texas A&M), 9-8