With the match knotted up 3-3, freshman Pietro Pampanin would deliver the final match point to defeat No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at the Palmer/Salloum Outdoor Tennis Center on senior day.
The win marked Ole Miss’s (18-8, 6-8 SEC) third top 25 win of the season.
Ole Miss would strike first after taking the doubles point, for Stefano D’Agostino and Pietro Pampanin would take down Martin Breysach and Jaden Weekes, 6-4. Before Kentucky’s (16-12, 12-6 SEC) No. 16 pairing of Eli Stephenson and Jack Loutit defeated No. 25 Isac Stromberg and Kai Milburn in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4).
It would be Matthieu Chambonniere and Benjamin Martin who would deliver the clinching doubles court after they defeated Charlelie Cosnet and Nicolas Arseneault, 7-6 (7-4).
In singles play, the Rebels capitalized on their early momentum to go up 3-0 after Vlado Jankanj picked up a ranked win against No. 97 Charlelie Cosnet, 6-0, 6-4. Then, soon after, Noah Schlagenhauf defeated Mikael Arseneault, 6-2, 6-4.
However, Kentucky would respond by winning the next three singles courts to tie the match at 3-3. The final singles court featured Pampanin and No. 78 Jack Loutit.
Pampanin fell behind early after dropping the first set, 3-6, but would rally off a 7-5 second-set win. Then Pampanin would deliver the clinching point for the Rebels as he defeated Loutit in the third set, 6-2.
With the regular season concluded, the Rebels will be heading to College Station, Texas, on Wednesday, April 15, for the SEC Tournament, where they will await their opponent, which is still to be determined.
Doubles Results
1. #16 Eli Stephenson/Jack Loutit (UK) def. #25 Isac Stromberg/Kai Milburn (OM) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Stefano D’Agostino/Pietro Pampanin (OM) def. Martin Breysach/Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-4
3. M. Chambonniere/Benjamin Martin (OM) def. Charlelie Cosnet/Nicolas Arseneault (UK) 7-6 (7-4)
Singles Results
1. #20 Eli Stephenson (UK) def. #79 Stefano D’Agostino (OM-M) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
2. #80 Nicolas Arseneault (UK) def. #117 M. Chambonniere (OM-M) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
3. Pietro Pampanin (OM-M) def. #78 Jack Loutit (UK) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
4. Vlado Jankanj (OM-M) def. #97 Charlelie Cosnet (UK) 6-0, 6-4
5. Noah Schlagenhauf (OM-M) def. Mikael Arseneault (UK) 6-2, 6-4
6. Matt Rankin (UK) def. Loan Lestir (OM-M) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3); Singles (4, 5, 2, 1, 6, 3)