Saturday, February 17
Seattle, Wash.
5:30 p.m.
Texas A&M
4
vs
3
North Carolina
Photo by: Sam Craft/Texas A&M Athletics
Texas A&M Advances to the ITA National Team Indoor Semifinals
Feb 17, 2018 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE, Wash. – The No. 6 Texas A&M men's tennis team advanced to the 2018 ITA Division I National Men's Team Indoor Championship semifinals after defeating No. 3 North Carolina Saturday evening in Seattle, Wash. The Aggies topped the Tar Heels, 4-3, at the Seattle Tennis Club to advance to the semifinals against No. 7 UCLA Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (CT).
No. 52 Arthur Rinderknech clinched the win for the Aggies, his second straight win in Seattle after topping No. 7 Johannes Ingildsen of Florida in the first round on Friday. On Saturday, the Paris, France native bested No. 57 Benjamin Sigouin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 on court two to send the Aggies through to the semifinals.
The Aggies faced an early deficit after dropping the doubles point to open the match. No. 11 William Blumberg and Robert Kelly bested Rinderknech and Patrick Kypson, 6-2, on the top doubles court followed by a 6-4 win by Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard over Valentin Vacherot and Barnaby Smith on the third doubles court.
No. 67 Jordi Arconada evened the match with a 7-6(6), 6-1 triumph over No. 81 Robert Kelly on court three. The Aggies took their first lead of the day as Juan Carlos Aguilar defeated Josh Peck, 6-2, 6-4, on court five. Blaine Boyden topped Smith, 6-3, 7-6(3) to even the match at two-all, then North Carolina regained the lead as No. 4 Blumberg defeated Kypson 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on court one.
With the Aggies needing to win both matches still on the court, they turned to cousins Vacherot and Rinderknech for the deciding points. No. 35 Vacherot came through with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No. 124 Soendergaard to set up Rinderknech for the heroic last match standing victory.
No. 7 UCLA advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 win over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. The Aggies and Bruins will face off at 2:00 p.m. (CT) at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. Fans can follow all of the action in Seattle this weekend online at http://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/mi2018/lp.html?lid=169 .
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M men's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M men's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieMTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieMensTennis.
Post Match Quotes
Steve Denton, Texas A&M men's tennis head coach
On the win over North Carolina…
"Today the Aggies fought their tails off for a victory against a really talented North Carolina team. We are very proud of how our guys kept believing and competing all day. Our hats are off to a very well coached Tar Heel team. It is early in the season, but matches like this one show how great our college tennis product truly is. Anyone that was there was treated to a really high level tennis match."
On semifinal matchup against UCLA…
"UCLA is another really well coached team that beat a very good Ohio State team today so know we have our work cut out for us tomorrow. The Bruins ended our season last year so we are excited to get another crack at them."
Arthur Rinderknech, Texas A&M senior
On the win…
"Just like Kevin Lam last Sunday, I understood that I was the last match on the court. I just wanted to do it for my team, because we practice every day for that kind of feeling. The guys played great and allowed me to be the one that could win it all. Today was a great battle against a really good UNC team, we can't wait for tomorrow."
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M vs North Carolina
Feb 17, 2018 at Seattle, Wash.
(Seattle Tennis Club)
#6 Texas A&M 4, #3 North Carolina 3
Singles competition
1. #4 William Blumberg (UNC) def. #84 Patrick Kypson (TAMU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. #52 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) def. #57 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
3. #67 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. #81 Robert Kelly (UNC) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
4. #35 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. #124 Simon Soendergaard (UNC) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
5. Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Josh Peck (UNC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Blaine Boyden (UNC) def. Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Doubles competition
1. #11 William Blumberg/Robert Kelly (UNC) def. Patrick Kypson/Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 6-2
2. Anu Kodali/Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. #6 Jordi Arconada/Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) 3-5, unfinished
3. Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (UNC) def. Valentin Vacherot/Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-4
Match Notes:
Texas A&M 7-1; National ranking #6
North Carolina 8-1; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3); Singles (3, 5, 6, 1, 4, 2)
ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Second Round
No. 52 Arthur Rinderknech clinched the win for the Aggies, his second straight win in Seattle after topping No. 7 Johannes Ingildsen of Florida in the first round on Friday. On Saturday, the Paris, France native bested No. 57 Benjamin Sigouin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 on court two to send the Aggies through to the semifinals.
The Aggies faced an early deficit after dropping the doubles point to open the match. No. 11 William Blumberg and Robert Kelly bested Rinderknech and Patrick Kypson, 6-2, on the top doubles court followed by a 6-4 win by Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard over Valentin Vacherot and Barnaby Smith on the third doubles court.
No. 67 Jordi Arconada evened the match with a 7-6(6), 6-1 triumph over No. 81 Robert Kelly on court three. The Aggies took their first lead of the day as Juan Carlos Aguilar defeated Josh Peck, 6-2, 6-4, on court five. Blaine Boyden topped Smith, 6-3, 7-6(3) to even the match at two-all, then North Carolina regained the lead as No. 4 Blumberg defeated Kypson 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on court one.
With the Aggies needing to win both matches still on the court, they turned to cousins Vacherot and Rinderknech for the deciding points. No. 35 Vacherot came through with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No. 124 Soendergaard to set up Rinderknech for the heroic last match standing victory.
No. 7 UCLA advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 win over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. The Aggies and Bruins will face off at 2:00 p.m. (CT) at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. Fans can follow all of the action in Seattle this weekend online at http://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/mi2018/lp.html?lid=169 .
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M men's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M men's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieMTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieMensTennis.
Post Match Quotes
Steve Denton, Texas A&M men's tennis head coach
On the win over North Carolina…
"Today the Aggies fought their tails off for a victory against a really talented North Carolina team. We are very proud of how our guys kept believing and competing all day. Our hats are off to a very well coached Tar Heel team. It is early in the season, but matches like this one show how great our college tennis product truly is. Anyone that was there was treated to a really high level tennis match."
On semifinal matchup against UCLA…
"UCLA is another really well coached team that beat a very good Ohio State team today so know we have our work cut out for us tomorrow. The Bruins ended our season last year so we are excited to get another crack at them."
Arthur Rinderknech, Texas A&M senior
On the win…
"Just like Kevin Lam last Sunday, I understood that I was the last match on the court. I just wanted to do it for my team, because we practice every day for that kind of feeling. The guys played great and allowed me to be the one that could win it all. Today was a great battle against a really good UNC team, we can't wait for tomorrow."
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M vs North Carolina
Feb 17, 2018 at Seattle, Wash.
(Seattle Tennis Club)
#6 Texas A&M 4, #3 North Carolina 3
Singles competition
1. #4 William Blumberg (UNC) def. #84 Patrick Kypson (TAMU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. #52 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) def. #57 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
3. #67 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. #81 Robert Kelly (UNC) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
4. #35 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. #124 Simon Soendergaard (UNC) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
5. Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Josh Peck (UNC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Blaine Boyden (UNC) def. Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Doubles competition
1. #11 William Blumberg/Robert Kelly (UNC) def. Patrick Kypson/Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 6-2
2. Anu Kodali/Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. #6 Jordi Arconada/Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) 3-5, unfinished
3. Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (UNC) def. Valentin Vacherot/Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-4
Match Notes:
Texas A&M 7-1; National ranking #6
North Carolina 8-1; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3); Singles (3, 5, 6, 1, 4, 2)
ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Second Round
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3
#1 Singles Match
123
641
William Blumberg / 0 (4/-) [UNC]
366
#2 Singles Match
123
656
Benjamin Sigouin / 0 (57/-) [UNC]
474
#3 Singles Match
12
76
Robert Kelly / 0 (81/-) [UNC]
61
#4 Singles Match
123
646
Simon Soendergaard / 0 (124/-) [UNC]
064
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Josh Peck / 0 [UNC]
24
#6 Singles Match
12
36
Blaine Boyden / 0 [UNC]
67
Order of Finish:
3,5,6,1,4,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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