Following a tough weekend of matchups, the South Carolina men’s and women’s tennis teams are both slated to face off against LSU and Texas A&M this weekend.
“There’s no rest for the weary,” said Kevin Epley, head coach of the women’s team.
The women are coming off of a 4-1 victory against Auburn at home and a 4-2 loss on the road at Alabama. This Friday, Epley’s team will be facing Texas A&M with another match against LSU this Sunday, with both contest on the road. Epley sees Texas A&M, though 1-1 in SEC play, as a “potentially top team," and possibly a big threat.
The South Carolina men’s tennis team also faces steep odds in its upcoming home matches against LSU this Friday and Texas A&M on Sunday. The men's team hasn’t been faring as well, with a recent 4-2 loss at Auburn and a 4-1 defeat at Florida.
Head coach Josh Goffi described this season as “filled with adversity, injuries [and] sickness.” With most matches being played with a man or more down, the team’s 0-2 conference record is evidence of its struggles.
As for the South Carolina women’s team, Epley thinks that his group needs to eventually step up and be able to potentially knock off some of the SEC’s best.
“We’re fitting in to the sort of unsaid hierarchy of the rankings, and at some point we need to challenge that,” Epley said.
At the moment, the women’s team is holding at 1-1 in SEC play. These upcoming matches could give the Gamecocks the momentum needed to move up in the standings.
Meanwhile, the men’s team is still searching for its first conference victory of the season, and things won’t get easier against the Tigers and Aggies this weekend.
“We may not get the win, but it’s gonna be a hell of a battle,” Goffi said.
Although injuries have plagued South Carolina, Goffi said that with a healthy team and good chemistry, the Gamecocks could be a solid team, even though the SEC is one of the most competitive conferences in tennis.
“Our goal is to play well at the end of the year,” Goffi said.
With the men’s team down key players, the rest of the team has been forced to train even harder to compensate. Players who would not normally have much playing time have moved up, leading to a season that Goffi finds “beneficial” to the team.
Goffi, who is in his fifth year coaching South Carolina, seems to be setting up a long-term plan for the Gamecocks, using this season as a chance to gain valuable experience while growing as a team.
After facing LSU and Texas A&M, the men’s team faces Coastal Carolina in a non-conference match while Epley’s team will host Missouri on Friday, March 13.