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Gamecocks Open SEC Tournament Against Arkansas In 3rd Round
Women's Tennis  . 

Gamecocks Open SEC Tournament Against Arkansas In 3rd Round

April 19, 2018

2018 Women’s Tennis SEC Tournament

Match Info

Team: #3 South Carolina

Opponent: #11 Arkansas

Date: Friday, April 20

Start Time: 12 p.m. ET

Location: Knoxville, Tenn.

Venue: Barksdale Tennis Stadium

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 7 South Carolina women’s tennis (19-5, 11-2 SEC) will face Arkansas (9-15, 4-10 SEC) in the third round of the 2018 SEC Tournament at 12 p.m. Friday in Knoxville, Tenn.

As the No. 3-seed in the tournament, South Carolina received a first and second round bye, while No. 11-seed Arkansas defeated Missouri and Auburn on Wednesday and Thursday to advance to the third-round match.

The Gamecocks swept the Razorbacks, 4-0, at the Carolina Tennis Center on March 31. In that match, South Carolina won the doubles point, and Hadley Berg, Paige Cline and Rachel Rohrabacher won their singles matches in straight sets to secure the sweep.

South Carolina holds a three-match winning streak over Arkansas dating back to March 5, 2016.

The Gamecocks are in the midst of a historic season, starting 10-0 in the league for the first time in program history. At 11-2 in the league, South Carolina finished the SEC regular season tied for second place with Florida, which is tied with the 1996 team for the best finish in school history in the regular season standings.

Last season, South Carolina was eliminated by Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals. With a first and second round bye, the Gamecocks defeated Kentucky, 4-3, in the third round on April 22, 2017, but were edged out by Vanderbilt in the semifinals in Nashville, Tenn.

If they win Friday, the Gamecocks will have posted consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since winning 28 in 1981-82 followed by 22 in 1982-83. A win would mark the ninth 20-win season in school history and the sixth time Kevin Epley has won at least 20 matches in a season in his 14-year career as a head coach.

QUOTABLE

“Arkansas is playing some great tennis right now and it looks like they are peaking at the right time of year. We will have to come out ready to go from the first doubles point. The Hogs are a very talented team and we are getting ready for a battle tomorrow.” — Head Coach Kevin Epley

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

  • The Gamecocks are ranked No. 7 by Oracle and the ITA, it was announced April 17. The team has been ranked in the Top 10 for six straight weeks. South Carolina’s No. 5 ranking two weeks ago was the highest team ranking in program history. The team finished the 1982-83 season ranked at No. 6 after achieving a 22-5 overall record.
  • The Gamecocks are ranked No. 9 by the USTA, it was announced April 18.
  • South Carolina’s 11 wins in SEC play are the most for the Gamecocks in program history. The 1995-96 team set the previous record of nine that was equaled by the 2015-16 squad.
  • Megan Davies‘ combined 51 wins in singles (27) and doubles (24) this season are one shy of tying Ana Marija Zubori for the most in a single season in school history by a Gamecock freshman. Zubori set the mark of 52 in 2006-07 after winning 31 singles and 21 doubles matches. One more win by Davies would also move her into a tie for 10th for single-season combined victories in South Carolina history with Brigit Folland (2014-15), Lynn-Yin Tan (2001-02) and Zubori (2006-07).
  • This season marks the first time in program history the Gamecocks have ever opened SEC play at 10-0 and is the first time South Carolina went undefeated in SEC road play. The previous best start was 6-0 in 2015-16.
  • Ranked in singles: Hadley Berg (30), Ingrid Gamarra Martins (59), Megan Davies (123)
  • Ranked in doubles: Hadley Berg / Paige Cline (66), Megan Davies / Silvia Chinellato (71), Paige Cline / Ingrid Gamarra Martins (82)
  • The Gamecocks went undefeated in the month of March for the first time since the 1979-80 season.
  • The Gamecocks’ 13-match winning streak from Feb. 24 to March 31 was the second-longest in program history behind the 1980 team’s 22-match win streak.
  • The team’s 10-match SEC winning streak from March 1 to March 31 was also the longest in program history by four matches with the previous longest streak being six matches.
  • The Gamecocks have won 10 doubles points in 13 SEC matches this season. Their two losses in doubles came against Georgia on March 18 and Vanderbilt on April 12. The team did not play doubles in its loss to Florida due to impending rain in the forecast.
  • Paige Cline holds a seven-match winning streak in SEC play dating back to her win over Alexa Bortles at No. 7 Ole Miss on March 3. All seven of those wins came in straight sets.
  • Cline and Rachel Rohrabacher both finished the dual match season with just one loss apiece, going 9-1 and 11-1, respectively.
  • Hadley Berg‘s 23-6 singles record this season has her at 97-33 overall, three wins shy of 100 on her career, with a winning percentage of .746 that ranks seventh in school history. She is looking to become just the fourth player in school history with 100 wins.
  • South Carolina is 9-4 against ranked opponents this season, including wins at No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 11 Texas, No. 35 Texas A&M, No. 36 LSU, No. 30 Tennessee, No. 8 Georgia, No. 15 Auburn, No. 48 Arkansas and No. 23 Kentucky.
  • The Gamecocks have amassed 11 sweeps this season, including over South Florida, Oklahoma, Clemson, Charleston Southern, North Florida, Coastal Carolina, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky.

SCOUTING ARKANSAS

  • Arkansas finished the regular season at 8-15 overall with a 2-10 record in conference play.
  • The Razorbacks defeated Missouri, 4-1, in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday and Auburn, 4-2, in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday.
  • Ranked in singles: Giulia Pairone (50), Ana Oparenovic (89)
  • Ranked in doubles: Tatum Rice/Ana Oparenovic (40), Jackie Carr/Tatum Rice (54), Giulia Pairone/Leolia JeanJean (86)
  • Arkansas’ roster is composed of two freshmen, three sophomores, four juniors and two seniors.
  • Head Coach Michael Hegarty is in his 15th season with the team. Hegarty coached the Razorbacks to two SEC West Division Championships in 2008 and 2009.
  • Last season, Arkansas finished 18-10 overall and 7-6 in SEC play.
  • Arkansas held an eight-match losing streak this season from March 9-March 31. The Razorbacks hold a three-match winning streak in Knoxville, Tenn., earning victories in their first two SEC Tournament matches and defeating Tennessee on the road in their last regular season match, 4-2.
  • Arkansas recorded one sweep this season at Southeast Missouri State on Feb. 10. The Razorbacks were swept twice at South Carolina on March 31 and at Georgia on April 12.
  • Last season, Arkansas was eliminated in the second round of the SEC Tournament by Auburn.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

If the Gamecocks defeat the Razorbacks, they will face the winner of Match 7 between Florida and LSU in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday. If they win Saturday’s match, the Gamecocks will have a chance to compete for the SEC Tournament title in the championship match at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The championship match will air on SEC Network.

For updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).

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