South Carolina Cruises to 6-1 Win Over LSU
Baton Rouge, La. – South Carolina women’s tennis earned its first conference win of the season in a 6-1 decision over LSU. After securing the doubles point, South Carolina won four singles matches in straight sets on its way to the win.
In doubles, matches were played in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. Doubles pair Ayana Akli and Ana Cruz got to work quickly to win the first game at the second spot in the lineup. The juniors never fell behind and took off to win four straight games to clinch the doubles point for South Carolina in 6-2 win.
With no match in the No. 6 spot, the Gamecocks led 2-0 going into singles.
No. 74 Akli dominated on Court 2 with a straight sets win over Taylor Bridges. Akli blanked Bridges 6-0 in the first set and continued to impress in the second. With a 6-1 result, Akli put the Gamecocks up 3-0.
Not long after, No. 68 Elise Mills wrapped up play in the No. 4 spot. She pulled ahead 4-1 in the first set on her way to earn the 6-2 win. In the second set, she only gave up one game to win 6-1 and seal the win for South Carolina.
Play continued on the remaining courts and No. 1 Sarah Hamner was next to wrap things up. She efficiently took the first set 6-3 over her Tiger opponent and continued to dominate in the second set. With multiple consecutive game wins, Hamer topped her opponent 6-2 and extended South Carolina’s lead to 5-0.
Graduate student Megan Davies wrapped up in straight sets in the No. 3 spot. She waxed Nina Geissler 6-0 in the first set and went up 3-0 in the second. Geissler fought back and brought things to 3-3, but Davies found her momentum. She pushed back to win the next three games to secure the win and award the Gamecocks their sixth point in the match.
On the final court, freshman Misa Malkin took on Rania Azziz. Azziz controlled the first set and won 6-3, but Malkin was ready to fight. She came back from an 2-0 deficit to tie things up and pull ahead to a 6-4 second set win.
The match was closely contested in the super tiebreak with Malkin and Azziz trading points back and forth. After Malkin tied things up at eight points all, she won one additional point before the Tigers took the 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (9) win.
South Carolina returns home to host No. 23 Tennessee on Friday, March 11 at 5 p.m. and No. 36 Georgia on Sunday, March 13 at noon at the Carolina Tennis Center.
#52 South Carolina def. LSU 6-1
Doubles (Order of Finish: 2*)
1. Megan Davies / Sarah Hamner (SC) vs. Taylor Bridges / Safiya Carrington (LSU) 5-5 DNF
2. Ayana Akli / Ana Cruz (SC) def. Nina Geissler / Mia Rabinowitz (LSU) 6-2
Singles (Order of Finish: 2, 4*, 1, 3, 5)
1. No. 1 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Safiya Carrington (LSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. No. 74 Ayana Akli (SC) def. Taylor Bridges (LSU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Megan Davies (SC) def. Nina Geissler (LSU) 6-0, 6-3
4. No. 68 Elise Mills (SC) def. Mia Rabinowitz (LSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Rania Azziz (LSU) def. Misa Malkin (SC)6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (9)
