May 13, 2005
Athens, Ga. – The University of South Carolina women’s tennis team claimed their 12th straight opening round victory in the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday at the Dan McGill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. The win improved the Gamecocks to 15-8 overall while the Cornhuskers ended their season at 18-4.
The Gamecocks took an early 1-0 lead by claiming two of the three doubles matches. Fallon Koon and Laura Ganzer dominated the No. 3 doubles position with an 8-1 victory over Milena Schulz-Gartner and Pamela Castillejos. Miranda Gutierrez and Danielle Wiggins trailed 4-2 at the top doubles spot but took five of the next six games to take a 7-5 lead. The pair then went on to claim the doubles point for the Gamecocks with an 8-6 victory over Gitte Otermann and Katie Garcia. Christyn Lucas and Magda Wojdylo trailed 6-3 at two when Wiggins and Gutierrez clinched the point.
Miranda Gutierrez put the Gamecocks up 2-0 with her 6-2,6-1 win at No. 4 singles over Ewelina Skaza. The win for Gutierrez gave Skaza her first loss of the season at four. Megan McGavock put the Gamecocks up 3-0 with a 6-3,6-3 victory at six. Laura Ganzer clinched the victory for the Gamecocks with a 6-4,6-3 win at flight three. The other three singles positions that were on the court were suspended since the Gamecocks clinched the overall match at 4-0.
“We played better as the match went along,” said USC Head Coach Arlo Elkins. “We started out nervous but everyone calmed down as they went along. The win was our 12th straight opening round match so it is very good to extend that streak. We were lucky to win the doubles point but we played better in singles. Nebraska is a very good team. They are more crafty and play a different style of tennis than teams in the SEC.”
The Gamecocks will take on SEC East rival Georgia on Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner of that match will then advance to the NCAA Championships, which are also held in Athens, Ga., and will face the winner of the Miami Regional.
#22 South Carolina (15-8) 4
#38 Nebraska (18-4) 0
Doubles:
1. Danielle Wiggins/Miranda Gutierrez (SC) d. Gitte Ostermann/Katie Garcia (N) 8-6
2. Christyn Lucas/Magda Wojdylo (SC) vs. Imke Reimers/Ewelina Skaza (N) 3-6 susp.
3. Fallon Koon/Laura Ganzer (SC) d. Milena Sculz-Gatner/Pamela Castillejos (N) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles:
1. Danielle Wiggins (SC) vs. #43 Gitte Ostermann (N) 4-6, 1-1 susp.
2. #101 Christyn Lucas (SC) vs. Imke Reimers (N) 3-6, 6-1 susp.
3. Laura Ganzer (SC) d. Milena Schulz-Gartner (N) 6-4,6-3
4. Miranda Gutierrez (SC) d. Ewelina Skaza (N) 6-2,6-1
5. Magda Wojdylo (SC) vs. Pamela Castillejos (N) 4-6, 5-2 susp.
6. Megan McGavock (SC) d. Katie Garcia (N) 6-3,6-3
Order of Finish: 4,6,3
