In the last Southeastern Conference home match of the season, the Rebel Netters put together their best win of the season, toppling the 10th ranked Texas A&M Aggies 4-3 on senior day.
It was a roller coaster ride from start to finish to say the least.
The Rebels looked to start the match strong with an early 1-0 lead as they took the doubles point. Sophomore Harrison Adams and sophomore Shane Vinsant of Texas A&M won the doubles match on Court 2 against junior Nik Scholtz and freshman Ricardo Jorge 8-3, but the Rebels would rally.
The tandems of junior William Kallberg and sophomore Stefan Lindmark, and senior Johan Backstrom and redshirt sophomore Joe Rogers won their matches in tiebreakers to clinch the 1-0 lead.
It seemed as if the Rebels would cruise through the match, as Scholtz and Jorge would win their singles matches and give the Rebels the 3-0 lead. Texas A&M would fight back and win the next three singles matches, beating Kallberg, Backstrom and redshirt freshman Vinod Gowda.
With the Rebels under immense pressure, the match came down to Lindmark with the match tied at 3-3. Lindmark delivered, as he clinched the victory for the Rebels by taking down senior Junior Ore of Texas A&M 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-3.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match, he clearly showed it,” said Lindmark. “He was playing really well in the tiebreaker in the second set, which I couldn’t get, and he broke me the first game in the third, too. I was just trying to stay with him and do it for Coach.”
The match Friday marked the last SEC home match for head coach Billy Chadwick, who ends his 31-year coaching career this season. The match was also very important for Backstrom, the lone senior on senior day.
“Unbelievable day. I couldn’t have wished for a better senior day and a better last match for Coach,” Backstrom said. “Unbelievable how the team came through today. It was a huge team effort. Unbelievable.”
Not only was it a perfect day for the lone senior on the team, but a perfect day for the legendary head coach.
“It would be exactly what I would have dreamed of,” said Chadwick. “This was a great team effort, they played their hearts out from the beginning of the match until the end. It was a great way to end the SEC regular season.”
— Dylan Rubino
thedmsports@gmail.com
