By outreach@cw.ua.edu (Ben Boynton)

The Alabama Crimson Tide had a lot of success in doubles this season, winning 20 doubles points and nine straight heading into its matchup against No. 9 seeded Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament’s second round on Thursday.

However, the area the team has had so much success with this season didn’t go its way, and the Crimson Tide ended up losing 4-3 to Ole Miss on Thursday. The No. 8 seeded Crimson Tide falls to 14-13 on the season.

Ole Miss earned the doubles point with victories on courts one and two. First to finish was court two, where senior Becker O’Shaughnessey and sophomore Grayson Goldin lost 6-2. The next court to finish was court three, where freshman Spencer Richey and sophomore Matthew Rossouw earned a 6-4 win to keep Alabama alive in doubles. The Rebels would end up taking court one 7-5 over freshman Mazen Osama and sophomore Korey Lovett, the No. 4 pair in the nation.

Singles play was back and forth as both teams struggled to earn any separation. Richey won 6-3, 6-4 on court four to even up the match 1-1, before O’Shaughnessey won 6-4, 6-4 on court three to give Alabama a 2-1 lead.

Ole Miss responded with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Osama on court one to even things up. The remaining three matches all went to three sets, where both teams needed to win two of three to take the match. The first one to finish was on court six, where redshirt freshman Langford Hills earned a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win to put the Crimson Tide up 3-2.

Ole Miss once again tied the match with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win on court five over Rossouw, and then finished it off with a 7-5, 6-7 (0), 6-4 victory over Lovett on court two to advance to the quarterfinals. The Rebels will face No. 1 seed Georgia on Friday.

Now, the Crimson Tide will have to wait until the field for the NCAA Tournament is announced to see if it will receive one of the 32 at-large bids available. The team will also be represented in doubles play by Lovett and Osama, the last of which Osama could potentially earn a singles bid as well.

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Source:: The Crimson White Sports