No. 4 Gamecocks Take Third at Wolfpack Match

RALEIGH, N.C. – No. 4 South Carolina had a strong finish to the Wolfpack Match Play on Tuesday with a dominant 4.5-0.5 victory over Virginia Tech to take third place. It marks the ninth top-five finish in the team’s nine regular season starts, which is T-2^nd most all-time in program history.

Carolina also had nine top-five finishes in 2013-14, 1989-90 and 1986-87.

Senior Justine Fournand led the team today with an impressive 5&4 victory over the Hokies’ Becca DiNunzio. The Erstein, France, native capped off a perfect 3-0 week. She’s 6-0 all-time in two appearances at the Wolfpack Match Play. Four of her six career wins in Raleigh have come with four holes to play in the match.

Freshman Mia Sandtorv Lussand impressed with a 4&3 win to pickup her second win of the week. Sophomore All-American Louise Rydqvist (2-up) and graduate transfer Katherine Muzi (2&1) also picked up victories. Senior Mathilde Claisse halved her match as Virginia Tech’s Symone Henriques made birdie on 18.

In two appearances at the Wolfpack Match Play, Carolina is 5-1. The team improves to 4-3 in match this season with its pair of wins this week at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.

Carolina picked up valuable experience this week as match play will be used to determine both the SEC and NCAA Champion again. The Gamecocks head to Birmingham, Ala. next week for the SEC Championship at Greystone. Teams will play 54-holes of stroke play with an individual SEC Champion the first three days (April 12-14) with a cut to the top-eight teams for match play (April 15-16).

Quarterfinals – No. 4 South Carolina vs. Louisville

Justine Fournand (SC) def. Augustina Gomez Cisterna (UL), 3&2

Louise Rydqvist (SC) def. Carmen Griffiths (UL), 1-up (19 holes)

Hana Ryskova (UL) def. Mathilde Claisse (SC), 3&1

Mairead Martin (UL) def. Katherine Muzi (SC), 1-up

 Mia Sandtorv Lussand (SC) def. Rylee Suttor (UL), 1-up (19 holes)

Final Score: Gamecocks – 3 Cardinals – 2

Semifinals – No. 4 South Carolina vs. Duke

Mathilde Claisse (SC) def. Phoebe Brinker (DUKE), 1-up

 Justine Fournand (SC) def. Anne Chen (DUKE), 1-up

Erica Shepherd (DUKE) def. Katherine Muzi (SC), 4&2

Megan Furtney (DUKE) def. Louise Rydqvist (SC), 1-up

Andie Smith (DUKE) def. Mia Sandtorv Lussand (SC), 3&2

Final Score: Blue Devils – 3 Gamecocks – 2

Third-Place Match – No. 4 South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech

Justine Fournand (SC) def.Becca DiNunzio (VT), 5&4

Mia Sandtorv Lussand (SC) def.Alyssa Montgomery (VT), 4&3

Louise Rydqvist (SC) def. Morgan Ketchum (VT), 2-up

Katherine Muzi (SC) def. Ginnie Lee (VT), 2&1

Mathilde Claisse (SC) vs. Symone Henriques (VT), AS

Final Score: Gamecocks – 4.5 Hokies – 0.5

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