April 11, 2003

Columbia, S.C. –
The 37th ranked University of South Carolina women’s tennis team head to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators on Saturday at 10am. The original time of the game was 1pm Saturday but time changed to avoid conflicts with Florida’s Orange/Blue Spring Football Game on Saturday.

The Gamecocks enter the last regular season match of the year with a 12-8 record overall and a 5-5 mark in the SEC while the Gators are 21-2 overall and 9-1 in the SEC. The Gators are tied for first place in the overall SEC standings with Georgia but hold the advantage because of winning the head-to-head match-up with the Bulldogs. The Gamecocks are currently seventh in the overall standings trailing Alabama (5-5 SEC) because of the loss in the head-to-head match-up on March 30.

The Gators hold the lead in the series at 23-2 including a 9-0 mark in Gainesville. Florida has won 20 straight in the series. The last Gamecock victory was a 5-4 decision on May 6, 1982.

The Gamecocks and Gators will both return to action in the SEC Tournament. USC is projected to play Auburn on Thursday. If the Gamecocks win against the Tigers, USC will face the number two seed in the tournament.

SEC Overall Standings
1. Florida 9-1
2. Georgia 9-1
3. Tennessee 8-2
3. Vanderbilt 8-2
3. Kentucky 8-2
6. Alabama 5-5*
7. USC 5-5*
8. LSU 3-7
9. Ole Miss 2-8*
10. Auburn 2-8*
11. Ms. State 1-9
12. Arkansas 0-10

* Records are tied but the team is ahead of the other tied team because of winning the head-to-head match-up in the regular season.