#14 Vols Edge #15 Aggies, 4-2, Advance to SEC Semifinals

Friday, April 18

Columbia, SC

2 PM

University of Tennessee

Texas A&M

#14 Vols Edge #15 Aggies, 4-2, Advance to SEC Semifinals

April 18, 2025 | Men's Tennis

Box Score PDF Box

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 14 overall and 5th-seeded Tennessee men's tennis team fought from behind to take down No. 15 and 4th-seeded Texas A&M on Friday afternoon at Carolina Tennis Center.

Tennessee (20-7, 9-5 SEC) has continued its streak of making it to the SEC Tournament Semifinals in every season since 2017-18. This is the second time since the 2021-22 season that the Vols have accomplished this feat while playing a match before the SEC Quarterfinals.

In doubles play, the Vols were unable to gain the advantage for a second day in a row. The Aggies (16-10, 9-5 SEC) took court three to get Friday's events started. Shunsuke Mitsui and Alan Jesudason landed a nice response from the Vols, winning 6-4 to bring things even. However, Texas A&M would fire off another victory to secure the doubles point.

Singles play saw the same intense fire that both teams were ignited with a little over a week ago, as both teams evenly split their respective first sets. No. 31 Kotzen was able to carry off his momentum from yesterday and win his match in straight sets against 24th-overall Theo Papamalamis, 6-4, 6-2, to equalize the match.

Texas A&M acquired a response in straight sets on court two, leaving the Vols four remaining matchups to gain three more points. After winning an intense first-set tiebreaker, Ian Cruz was able to power through, 7-6(10), 2-6, 6-3, to put the match even once again.

Seconds following Cruz's victory, Jose Garcia followed with a three-set triumph of his own, defeating Luke Casper, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. With the match time nearing a total of four hours, Jan Kobierski and Moreno were the sole Volunteers left to try and give Tennessee the winning point and advance to the next round. Kobierski battled and found a way to clinch a Tennessee victory with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 display on court five.

FRESHMAN MAGIC
Tennessee had multiple freshmen step up in a big way to help conquer the Aggies. Jose Garcia gave the Vols a 3-2 lead with a three-set victory on court four, and Jan Kobierski earned his second clinch over a Texas team in less than a week to send UT to the SEC Tournament Semifinals.

IT JUST MEANS MORE TO ALEX
Alex Kotzen pulled in two clutch ranked singles victories in back-to-back days to help guide Tennessee to two close victories. On Thursday, the New York native defeated No. 79 Roan Jones before taking down No. 24 Theo Papamalamis during Friday's action against the Aggies.

CRUZ CONTROL
Senior Ian Cruz has extended his singles winning streak to four straight matches and has won eight of his last 10 showdowns on the singles courts. He currently holds a 17-5 dual match record, going 14-3 at the No. 6 court in the process.

UP NEXT
Tennessee will face a familiar foe in the 4th-ranked and No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns on Saturday. First serve will be at 12 p.m. ET at Carolina Tennis Center.

RESULTS
Doubles
1. #5 Togan Tokac/Theo Papamalamis (TEXAM-M) def. #11 Alex Kotzen/Alejandro Moreno (TEN-M) 7-5
2. Shunsuke Mitsui/Alan Jesudason (TEN-M) def. Alan Magadan/Tiago Pires (TEXAM-M) 6-4
3. Giulio Perego/Ritesh Patil (TEXAM-M) def. James Newton/Lance Nisbet (TEN-M) 6-2

Order of Finish: 3,2,1

Singles
1. #31 Alex Kotzen (TEN-M) def. #24 Theo Papamalamis (TEXAM-M) 6-4, 6-2
2. Alan Magadan (TEXAM-M) def. #27 Shunsuke Mitsui (TEN-M) 7-6, 6-2
3. Tiago Pires (TEXAM-M) vs. Alejandro Moreno (TEN-M) 6-4, 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
4. Jose Garcia (TEN-M) def. Luke Casper (TEXAM-M) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
5. Jan Kobierski (TEN-M) def. Togan Tokac (TEXAM-M) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Ian Cruz (TEN-M) def. Giulio Perego (TEXAM-M) 7-6, 2-6, 6-3

Order of Finish: 1,2,6,4,5

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