Gamecocks topple Alabama, Auburn over weekend
This weekend, the South Carolina’s men’s tennis team captured two victories to get it back on track in the SEC. Wins against Alabama on Friday and Auburn Sunday put the Gamecocks at 4-2 in the SEC and provided a spark of positive momentum.
The Gamecocks defeated Alabama by a score of 4-3, capped off by a victory by senior Chip Cox in the decisive match.
“It was an awesome feeling for me,” Cox said. “I’ve always dreamed of clinching a 3-all match in the SEC and that was probably one of the best moments for me playing tennis here.”
Sunday’s match against Auburn progressed with much less drama. South Carolina was able to start the day by winning the doubles point, which they had struggled to do in recent matches. Carrying that momentum, the Gamecocks went on to win the match 4-1.
According to coach Josh Goffi, securing the doubles point is a critical key to victory for the Gamecocks.
“It takes the pressure off of everybody else,” coach Josh Goffi. “We haven’t had many of those all season.”
Goffi said that the team is working hard to improve its doubles play and that results should pick up in that department in the near future.
“We’re working towards it,” Goffi said. “We’re doing the right things. We’re going to get a lot of them coming up.”
Getting the season back on track was crucial for the Gamecocks as they head into the homestretch of SEC play and then later on into the postseason. A successful weekend was vital for the Gamecocks both in the standings and for team morale.
“We played the toughest teams in the conference right off the bat,” Goffi said. “What comes with that is lack of confidence…whether it’s because (the opponent) plays better or not, it carries with you.”
From the standpoint of a player, Cox said that the wins over the weekend will go a long way towards lifting the spirits of the Gamecock locker room.
“We were 0-4 coming into the weekend but we knew all we needed was one big win to get us started and I think that made (Sunday’s) match a lot easier,” Cox said. “We were a lot more confident in ourselves as a team.”
Belief is high for the Gamecocks as they look forward. The comparatively easiest stretch of their schedule lies ahead as they work towards to postseason.
“Guys are believing now,” Goffi said. “They’ve always tried to stay positive. It’s hard when you’re losing a decent amount, whether it’s against top teams or not. But the guys do believe. Moving forward, we have a good schedule ahead of us and we’re looking forward to getting some more wins.”
This weekend meant much more to the Gamecocks than just two wins in the record book. The team appears to be developing both mentally and physically as the season progresses in preparation for the postseason.
“Our guys are starting to get used to consolidating in big points and moving forward,” Goffi said. “(We are) playing aggressive and playing to win rather than protecting which is what we’ve been doing all season. A lot of good things come from this weekend for sure.”