NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt men’s tennis team suffered a 4-3 setback against the ninth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies Friday afternoon at the Currey Tennis Center.
Following the loss, the Commodores fall to 15-5 on the year and 5-2 in Southeastern Conference action.
Vanderbilt began the match taking a 1-0 advantage over the Aggies in doubles with victories on courts one and two. 46th-ranked Cameron Klinger and Billy Rowe earned a top-25 victory in a quick 18-minute match, downing No. 19 Jordi Arconada and Juan Carlos Aguilar 6-1.
The Aggies rebounded in singles to take court three and level the doubles point. A&M’s Valentin Vacherot/AJ Catanzariti took a close 7-6(4) tiebreak victory over Vanderbilt’s senior/freshman duo of Baker Newman and George Harwell.
With the one-point advantage on the line, No. 75 Lachlan McPhee and Panu Virtanen battled 48th-ranked Arthur Rinderknech and Patrick Kypson, with Vandy sending the match to the second tiebreaker of the day. Neck-and-neck the entire tiebreaker, the Commodore tandem broke for the 9-8 advantage then held serve to clinch the victory, 7-6(8).
With the doubles point awarded to the Commodores, Texas A&M bounced back to take four-of-six first sets in singles play and four-straight singles victories.
25th-ranked Vachero was first off the court for A&M, picking up a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Rowe to level the overall match score. The Aggies took a 2-1 advantage following Aguilar’s 6-3, 6-1 win on court five over Maxwell Freeman.
37th-ranked Kypson gave TAMU its 3-1 lead, as the SEC Freshman Player of the Week defeated 22nd-ranked Klinger 6-1, 6-4. On court three, Vandy’s 100th-ranked Newman fell to No. 49 Arconada for the Aggie clinch, 7-6(3), 6-3.
Following the clinch, VU picked up victories on courts two then six.
No. 56 Valent earned a top-10 upset victory over the sixth-ranked player in the nation. Leading Rinderknech 3-0 in the third set, the Aggie retired from the competition for the 6-4, 4-6, 3-0 Commodore win. Harwell secured the black and gold’s final point of the day, defeating Barnaby Smith in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.
The Commodores face LSU on Sunday at noon in their final home match of the regular season. The squad will honor its four seniors prior to first serve.
#9 Texas A&M 4, #22 Vanderbilt 3
1. #37 Patrick Kypson (TAMU) def. #22 Cameron Klinger (VANDY) 6-1, 6-4
2. #56 Daniel Valent (VANDY) def. #6 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 6-4, 4-6, 3-0, retired 3. #49 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. #100 Baker Newman (VANDY) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
4. #25 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. Billy Rowe (VANDY) 6-0, 6-3
5. Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Maxwell Freeman (VANDY) 6-3, 6-1
6. George Harwell (VANDY) def. Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
1. #46 Cameron Klinger/Billy Rowe (VANDY) def. #19 Jordi Arconada/Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) 6-1
2. #75 Panu Virtanen/Lachlan McPhee (VANDY) def. #48 Arthur Rinderknech/Patrick Kypson (TAMU) 7-6 (10-8) 3. Valentin Vacherot/AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) def. George Harwell/Baker Newman (VANDY) 7-6 (7-4)
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,5,1,3,2,6)
