Sept. 30, 2011

EVANSTON, Ill. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team gave a strong showing Friday in doubles play at the Wildcat Invitational in Evanston, Ill.

In flight A, Jaklin Alawi and Dominika Kanakova reached the finals of the A flight. They posted three consecutive 8-6 victories over teams from DePaul, Illinois and Minnesota before losing 8-4 in the championship match to No. 3-ranked Mushrefova and Hamilton from host Northwestern.

Katerina Popova and Josefin Andersson claimed the consolation title in flight A after losing their opening-round match to Huet and Wofford from Oklahoma 8-4. They easily dispatched Silver and Harazin of Wisconsin 8-4 in their first backdraw match-up and then upended Pastunink and Nivia of William & Mary 8-4 to reach the finals. The Gamecock duo scored a 9-8 (7-3) triumph against Oklahoma’s Long and Lancaster in their last contest.

Adriana Pereira and Dina Guzairova received a first-round bye in flight B. In the quarterfinals, they suffered an 8-4 setback to Sujashvili and Hawkins from William & Mary. The pair rebounded with a 9-8 win over Bauer and Gruber from Wisconsin before losing to Talcott and Majercik of Iowa by a 9-8 (7-4) to end the day.

Singles play begins at 10 a.m. ET Saturday at the Nielsen Tennis Center.

DOUBLES – FLIGHT A
Alawi/Kanakova, USC, def. McKnight/Newmann, DPU, 8-6
Alawi/Kanakova, USC, def. Lambropoulos/Jamieson, UI, 8-6
Alawi/Kanakova, USC, def. Palen/Wiecha, UM, 8-6
#3 Mushrefova/Hamilton, NU, def. Alawi/Kanakova, USC, 8-4
Huet/Wofford, OU, def. Popova/Andersson, USC, 8-4
Popova/Andersson, USC, def. Silver/Harazin, UW, 8-3
Popova/Andersson, USC, def. Pastunink/Nivia, WM, 8-4
Popova/Andersson, USC, def. Long/Lancaster, OU, 9-8 (7-3)

DOUBLES – FLIGHT B
Sujashvili/Hawkins, WM, def. Guzairova/Pereira, USC, 8-4
Guzairova/Pereira, USC, def. Bauer/Gruber, UW, 9-8
Talcott/Majercik, IU, def. Guzairova/Pereira, USC, 9-8 (7-4)