BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb was upset by South Carolina State on Friday afternoon in the team's final home match of the 2021 season.
 
"This one stung, and I hated we could not get that 4^th point," said Head Coach Mike Griffith. "Competition is tough sometimes, and I know we will learn from this match and be better for it."
 
S.C. State got the wins on courts 1 and 3 to clinch the doubles point. Marcelo Rodrguez and Elyes Marouani defeated Chrisjan Van Wyk and Victor Putter 6-3 in the #1 position. Sebastian Harris and John Spring fell in the #3 flight on a 4-6 decision. Breno Plentz and Stefano Puga's match at #2 was unfinished with pair leading it 5-4.
 
In the singles matches, Omer Gorgun secured the second point for the visitors with a win over Harris on court #4, 6-1, 6-3. Gardner-Webb triumphed in the next three singles matches to finish to take the overall lead, 3-2. Spring won in #6 flight 6-2, 6-2. Connor Enslin prevailed in the #5 position on a 6-4, 6-3 score and was followed soon after by Putter's win in the topflight, 6-4, 6-2.
 
Both remaining singles matches needed the third set to decide its victors. Marouani came back from a first-set loss to win the #3 flight over Plentz 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. S.C. State clinched the win on the #2 court as Rodriguez defeated Van Wyk 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs conclude their regular season with a trip to UNC Wilmington on Sunday and will turn their focus to the Big South Conference Tournament played on April 16-17 in Charlotte, N.C.