May 10, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team closed out the 2008 season with a 4-0 second-round NCAA Tournament loss to No. 2-ranked Georgia on Saturday at Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. The Gamecocks posted a record of 13-10 this season.

“Considering the length of yesterday’s match, I thought we competed hard today,” USC head coach Arlo Elkins said. “We battled at most of the positions, and that’s all I can ask of our team.”

Georgia stormed out of the gates in doubles, taking leads of 6-1, 6-2 and 6-2 on courts one, two and three. Cameron Ellis and Naoko Ueshima finished first for the Bulldogs at two doubles with an 8-3 victory over Megan McGavock and Ana Marija Zubori. Sisters Kelley and Yvette Hyndman clinched the point by an 8-2 score over Gira Schofield and Suzanna Mansour at the top position.

Monika Dancevic and Adrienne Elsberry of Georgia were leading Jelena Rajic and Natasa Vuckovic 7-4 and 40-30 on their serve when play was suspended on court three.

The Bulldogs moved ahead 2-0 after Ellis defeated McGavock on court five 6-2, 6-1, and Ueshima made the score 3-0 after disposing of Mansour at No. 4 singles 6-0, 6-3. Elsberry provided the final point for Georgia with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Rajic on court six.

Schofield was leading Yvette Hyndman 6-1, 4-4 at No. 1 singles when the match ended, while Zubori was in a first-set tiebreaker with Kelley Hyndman on court two. Vuckovic lost the first set to Dancevic 7-5 at No. 3 singles and was trailing 5-1 in the second when played was suspended.

Schofield will now represent the Gamecocks in the NCAA Singles Championship in Tulsa, Okla., when play begins May 21. She and Zubori are scheduled to play in the doubles tournament as well.

#2 Georgia (22-4) def. #32 South Carolina (13-10), 4-0

Singles
1. #45 Gira Schofield, USC, vs. #39 Yvette Hyndman, UG, 6-1, 4-4 susp.
2. #74 Ana Marija Zubori, USC, vs. #58 Kelley Hyndman, UG, 6-6 susp.
3. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, vs. #103 Monika Dancevic, UG, 5-7, 1-5 susp.
4. #83 Naoko Ueshima, UG, def. Suzanna Mansour, USC, 6-0, 6-3
5. Cameron Ellis, UG, def. Megan McGavock, USC, 6-2, 6-1
6. Adrienne Elsberry, UG, def. Jelena Rajic, USC, 6-1, 7-5

Order of Finish: 5, 4, 6

Doubles
1. #52 Hyndman/Hyndman, UG, def. Mansour/Schofield, USC, 8-2
2. Ellis/Ueshima, UG, def. McGavock/Zubori, USC, 8-3
3. Rajic/Vuckovic, USC, vs. Dancevic/Elsberry, UG, 4-7 susp.