April 21, 2004
COLUMBIA, S.C. –
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SCOUTING REPORT
South Carolina (14-12, 3-8 Southeastern Conference) wrapped up regular season finale last week and heads to the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., where they will face the host No. 21 Vanderbilt Commodores. VU and USC will square off in the fourth and final match of first round play on Thursday, April 22 at 1:15 p.m. at the Brownlee O. Curry Tennis Center. Carolina fell to Vanderbilt earlier this year in a 6-1 loss on March 7 when the ‘Dores were ranked 22nd in the nation. The last time Carolina faced a team in the first round of the SEC Tournament that they had lost to in the regular season was Arkansas in 2002. South Carolina fell to the Raxorbacks during the regular season that year 4-3 then avenged the loss in the conference tournament with a decisive 4-2 victory.
GAMECOCKS FALL TO ARKANSAS, No. 14 LSU
USC dropped two tough matches last week on the road to close out the regular season. On Friday, April 16 the Gamecocks dropped a tough 5-2 match on the road to 27th-ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville. Carolina then closed out the regular season with a 4-1 loss at 14th-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge.
AT THE SEC TOURNAMENT
Thursday starts off the 2004 Southeastern Conference Men’s Tennis Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., where Carolina has the not-so-sought-after position of facing the host team. USC’s first round match against Vanderbilt begins at 1:15 p.m. South Carolina leads the all-time series against VU, 10-5 but Vandy notched the win during the regular season meeting, a 6-1 decision on March 7 in Nashville. The win marked Vanderbilt’s second consecutive victory over the Gamecocks. USC last won over the Commodores on March 15, 2002 with a 4-2 victory in Nashville when Vandy was ranked 30th in the country.
GOOD WORK!
Rob Cassidy was named to the Southeastern Conference Good Works Team Wednesday for Men’s Tennis. The Senior from Greenville, S.C., volunteered at the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony in Columbia in early April. In addition to that, Cassidy reads to childred at a local elementary school and participated in Read Across America. While competing in one of the toughest conferences in the nation in tennis and giving back to the community, Cassidy was also named to the Dean’s List last semester for his scholarly achievements.
