Sept. 16, 2012

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team concluded play in the UVa Fall Classic at the Synder Tennis Center on Sunday in Charlottesville, Va., with a combined record of 6-2.

Freshman Ximena Siles Luna wrapped up her first collegiate tournament with a 4-0 record playing in a round-robin format in flight C. She picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win from Brigita Bercyte of Wake Forest and then beat Jackie Lee from William & Mary 6-3, 6-0.

In flight B, senior Josefin Andersson and sophomore Alex Martin both picked up victories to finish the weekend with 2-2 records. Andersson scored a 6-2, 2-0 win over Kelly Sullivan from Furman after Sullivan retired in the second set. Martin snagged a 6-2, 6-4 win from Jenny Porter, also of Furman. Andersson and Martin both went 2-2 at the UVa Fall Classic.

In the finals of flight A-1, senior and No. 63-ranked Jaklin Alawi suffered a 6-3, 6-0 setback to the nation’s No. 4-ranked freshman Julia Elbaba of Virginia. Alawi posted a 3-1 record for the weekend in singles.

Katerina Popova lost in the consolation finals of flight A-2 to Olga Barshchevskaya of VCU in three sets. After winning the first set 6-3, Popova dropped the second 6-3 and then lost in a super tiebreaker for the third 10-8. Popova finished the tournament with a 2-2 mark.

The Gamecocks’ doubles teams both posted victories on the final day of play. Andersson and Popova beat Oudin and Murray from Furman 8-1, while Alawi and Martin won by the same score against another Furman tandem, Sullivan and Porter. Andersson and Popova posted a 2-2 record together in flight A. Alawi and Martin were 2-1 in the B flight.

South Carolina is set to compete in the Furman Fall Classic next beginning Friday in Greenville, S.C.

SINGLES – FLIGHT A-1
#4-FJulia Elbaba, UVa, def. #63 Jaklin Alawi, USC, 6-3, 6-0 (Finals)

SINGLES – FLIGHT A-2
Olga Barshchevskaya, VCU, def. Katerina Popova, USC, 3-6, 6-3, (10-8) (Consolation Finals)

SINGLES – FLIGHT B
Alex Martin, USC, def. Jenny Porter, FU, 6-2, 6-4 (13th Place Bracket)
Josefin Andersson, USC, def. Kelly Sullivan, FU, 6-2, 2-0 ret. (13th Place Bracket)

SINGLES – FLIGHT C
Ximena Siles Luna, USC, def. Brigita Bercyte, WFU, 6-2, 6-1 (Round Robin)
Ximena Siles Luna, USC, def. Jackie Lee, W&M, 6-3, 6-0 (Round Robin)

DOUBLES – FLIGHT A
Andersson/Popova, USC, def. Oudin/Murray, FU, 8-1 (13th Place Bracket)

DOUBLES – FLIGHT B
Alawi/Martin, USC, def. Sullivan/Porter, FU, 8-1 (3rd Place Bracket)

LEGEND
FU = Furman
USC = South Carolina
UVa = Virginia
VCU = Virginia Commonwealth
WFU = Wake Forest
W&M = William & Mary