Feb. 1, 2009

DURHAM, N.C. — Junior and No. 14-ranked Ana Marija Zubori’s come-from-behind win propelled the South Carolina women’s tennis team (4-2) to a 4-3 victory over VCU (4-3) on Sunday in Durham, N.C., in a consolation match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend.

With the match level at 3-all, Zubori battled her way past Kateryna Yergina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. After trailing 2-1 in the third, Zubori attacked Yergina’s forehand and claimed four games in a row to lead 5-2. After losing her serve at love, Zubori returned the favor to Yergina by breaking her at love in the next game to stay unbeaten on the spring at 6-0.

The Gamecocks had the early lead after dominating in doubles. Zubori and Natasa Vuckovic had little trouble dispatching sisters Ana and Alex Bara at the top slot 8-3. Suzanna Mansour and Ashley Miller hung on for an 8-5 victory on court three against Mihaela Bunea and Olena Leonchuk to clinch the point. Miljana Jocic and Gira Schofield led Laura Burns and Yergina 7-5 when play was suspended.

Vuckovic rebounded from a disappointing loss Saturday to win easily 6-2, 6-0 over Alex Bara at the No. 3 spot to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead. In less than five minutes after Vuckovic’s victory, Schofield pushed her winning streak to 12 matches with a 6-1, 6-3 decision over Ana Bara at No. 1 singles.

South Carolina’s precarious 3-0 advantage was slowly erased with the Rams first winning at five singles with Leonchuk’s 6-2, 6-3 win versus Mansour. Burns got VCU another point by holding off Jocic 6-4, 6-4 on court four and Bunea came out on top of a 7-6(4), 7-5 match-up with Miller for the Rams’ final point.

The Gamecocks will host Winthrop for their next match Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. at the USC Field House.

#33 South Carolina (4-2) def. #35 VCU (4-3), 4-3

Singles
1. #71 Gira Schofield, USC, def. Ana Bara, VCU, 6-1, 6-3
2. #14 Ana Marija Zubori, USC, def. Kateryna Yergina, VCU, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Alex Bara, VCU, 6-2, 6-0
4. Laura Burns, VCU, def. Miljana Jocic, USC, 6-4, 6-4
5. Olena Leonchuk, VCU, def. Suzanna Mansour, USC, 6-2, 6-3
6. Mihaela Bunea, VCU, def. Ashley Miller, USC, 7-6(4), 7-5

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 5, 4, 6, 2

Doubles
1. #33 Vuckovic/Zubori, USC, def. Bara/Bara, VCU, 8-3
2. Jocic/Schofield, USC, led Burns/Yergina, VCU, 7-5
3. Mansour/Miller, USC, def. Bunea/Leonchuk, VCU, 8-5

Order of Finish: 1, 3