20th-ranked Tennis Gets 5-2 Win Over 10th-ranked Tennessee

April 7, 2002

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 20th-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team put together one of their finest performances of the season Sunday afternoon to secure a critical 5-2 upset win over 10th-ranked Tennessee in SEC league action at the Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center on the USC campus.

The win sends USC to 14-5 overall and 7-3 in the SEC. Tennessee tumbles to 16-7, 7-3 in the SEC. Should USC and Tennessee be tied at the end of the regular season, USC would receive the higher seed at the SEC Tournament by virtue of the head to head win.

It was South Carolina who jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in the match by taking all three doubles matches. Despite falling behind early at both No. 1 and 3 doubles, USC staged rallies in both matches to get the crucial point. At No. 3, Katarina Markovski and Ayako Suzuki won the final eight straight games to beat Ashley Robards and Breanna Kray 8-3. The Gamecocks clinched the point when 45th-ranked Jennifer Radman and Kathy Boyanovich upset 16th-ranked Vilmarie Castellvi and Agnes Wiski 8-6. 28th-ranked Lynn-Yin Tan and Jodi Kenoyer completed the sweep with an 8-5 win at No. 2 over Alison Ojeda and Crystal Cleveland.

USC pulled out to a 2-0 lead when 85th-ranked Jennifer Radman scored an upset win at No. 2 singles over Tennessee’s 15th-ranked Alison Ojeda 6-2, 6-1. Radman dominated from start to finish for her fourth win over a ranked opponent this year.

Within minutes, the match was over as USC’s Kathy Boyanovich recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles over 116th-ranked Agnes Wiski and Jodi Kenoyer secured the dual match win with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 45 singles, defeating Ashley Robards of Tennessee.

Tennessee did get on the board after the match was already decided as 6th-ranked Vilmarie Castellvi defeated 72nd-ranked Katarina Markovski 6-2, 6-5, ret. UT also got a win at No. 4 singles as Crystal Cleveland defeated Lynn-Yin Tan 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Gamecock senior Tamara Sutton finished off the day in stellar fashion for USC, recording a 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over Breanna Kray at No. 6 singles.

USC is back in action Saturday afternoon when they take on top-ranked Florida on senior day in the regular season finale at 1:00 p.m. at the Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center. It will be the final regular season match for four Carolina players – Markovski, Radman, Tan and Sutton. However, all four will play at least two more home matches as USC hosts the 2002 SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament April 18-21.

Match Results

USC 5, UT 2

Doubles

1. (45) Radman/Boyanovich (USC) def. (16) Castellvi/Wiski (UT) 8-6*

2. (28) Tan/Kenoyer (USC) def. Ojeda/Cleveland (UT) 8-5

3. Markovski/Ayako Suzuki (USC) def. Robards/Kray (UT) 8-3

* South Carolina wins the doubles point, Order of finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles

1. (6) Vilmarie Castellvi (UT) def. (72) Katarina Markovski (USC) 6-2, 6-5 ret.

2. (85) Jennifer Radman (USC) def. (15) Alison Ojeda (UT) 6-2, 6-1

3. Kathy Boyanovich (USC) def. (116) Agnes Wiski (UT) 6-3, 6-4

4. Crystal Cleveland (UT) def. Lynn-Yin Tan (USC) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2