CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel men's tennis split a double header match up against South Carolina State, 3-4 and 4-3, on Saturday afternoon.
 
Match # 1
Doubles

• Benjamin Niv/Aissa Benchakroun (SCST) def. Hayden Shoemake/Lucas Robins (CIT) 7-5
• Bankou/Ivan Pauluychenko (SCST) def. Sebastian Kamieniecki/Zvonko Bencedic (CIT) 6-4
• Pedro Sasso/Selim Ben Ali (SCST) def. Ted Bagwell/Tucker Hendrix (CIT) 6-3

Singles

• 1. Hayden Shoemake (CIT) def. Bankou (SCST) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
• 2. Benjamin Niv (SCST) def. Sebastian Kamieniecki (CIT) 6-3, 7-5, 6-3
• 3. Aissa Benchakroun (SCST) def. Zvonko Bencedic (CIT) 6-4, 7-5
• 4. Lucas Robins (CIT) def. Ivan Pauluychenko (SCST) 6-7, 6-2, 6-1
• 5. Pedro Sasso (SCST) def. Ted Bagwell (CIT) 7-5, 7-5
• 6. Bradey Minnich (CIT) def. Selim Ben Ali (SCST) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3

Inside the Box

• South Carolina started the match by securing the first doubles point, leading 1-0.
• In the No. 1 singles spot, Hayden Shoemake went to three sets with Bankou. The first set Bankou took the first set, but Shoemake proceeded to dominate the following two sets, winning 6-2, 6-1.
• Lucas Robins picked up his first singles season of the year in the No. 4 singles spot against Ivan Pauluychenko. The first set was a battle between the two, where the set went to the seventh point, advantage Pauluychenko. Robins would secure the match with two dominating performances in sets two and three.
• Bradey Minnich started his sophomore campaign with a three-set match victory over Selim Ben Ali. Ben Ali won the first set, 6-2, but Minnich took the following two sets with ease, winning 6-1, 6-3.

Match # 2
Doubles

• Benjamin Niv/Aissa Benchakroun (SCST) def. Sebastian Kamieniecki/Zvonko Bencedic (CIT) 7-6
• Hayden Shoemake/Lucas Robins (CIT) def. Bankou/Ivan Pauluychenko (SCST) 6-1
• Tucker Hendrix/Ted Bagwell (CIT) def. Pedro Sasso/Selim Ben Ali (SCST) 6-3

Singles

• 1. Hayden Shoemake (CIT) def. Benjamin Niv (SCST) 6-2, 6-3
• 2. Bankou (SCST) def. Sebastian Kamieniecki (CIT) 7-5, 6-2
• 3. Aissa Benchakroun (SCST) def. Lucas Robins (CIT) 6-1, 6-4
• 4. Zvonko Bencedic (CIT) def. Pedro Sasso (SCST) 6-4, 6-3
• 5. Ivan Pauluychenko (SCST) def. Bradey Minnich (CIT) 6-4, 6-3
• 6. Ted Bagwell (CIT) def. Selim Ben Ali (SCST) 6-2, 6-2

Inside the Box

• Hayden Shoemake defeated Benjamin Niv in two sets, winning 6-2 and 6-3.
• Zvonko Bencedic picked up his first win of the day with a two-set victory over Pedro Sasso
• Freshman Ted Bagwell picked up his first career singles victory as a Bulldog over Selim Ben Ali in two sets.

Up Next
The Bulldogs will return home on Jan. 16 to face Coastal Carolina in a doubleheader.