Box Score (PDF)

HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The George Mason University men's tennis team put forth an outstanding effort on Friday afternoon but it was not enough to defeat a talented South Carolina State program.
 
The Patriots fell to the Bulldogs by the score of 4-3 at the Evian Tennis Center.
 
The Green & Gold split the six singles matches, but fell in two of the three doubles matches on Friday.
 
"The guys played really well today," head coach Jimmy Davis said. "I was happy with their competitiveness and they took a really tough team to the edge and fell just short. We had a lot of guys step up on big points and we did a way better job of implementing our games under pressure. This should give us confidence going into our conference matches next week, and we're excited to continue working hard and hope to improve each match."
 
Mason's rising doubles duo of senior Daniel Gutierrez and freshman Ryan Charles led off the day with a 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles.
 
But Mason dropped the final two doubles matches as SCSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In singles, Mason went down 2-0 after the Bulldogs claimed victory at second singles.
 
From there, Mason bounced back with a superb effort from sophomore Edward Ayers at No. 1 Facing SCSU's top player, Aleksa Daskalovic, Ayers won the first set, 6-2. After falling 2-6 in the next, Ayers rallied with a 10-5 pro set win in the third. It marked Ayers fourth win in his last five singles matchups.
 
SCSU then won at No. 3 and No. 4 singles to clinch the match.
 
But Mason performed well at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions, much like has happened for much of the spring season.
 
Freshman Carter Bradford improved to 11-2 in dual play with a win at No. 5 singles. He won the first set, 6-2, then after falling 4-6 in the second, came back to win a 10-4 pro set in the third. The Saudi Arabia native has now won six straight singles matches.
 
At No. 6, senior Giuliano Buzoianu also picked up a victory. He won a competitive first set, 7-5, then cruised in the second (6-2). Buzoianu has now won five straight singles contests.
 
Mason now returns home to host a pair of A-10 opponents next weekend. The Patriots battle Davidson at noon on Saturday (March 24), then face off with Saint Joseph's on Sunday (March 25) at 11 a.m.
 
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