March 5, 2004

Lexington, Kentucky – The University of South Carolina women’s tennis team dropped their first SEC match of the season on Friday against the 20th ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 5-2. The loss dropped South Carolina to 6-3 overall and to 2-1 in the SEC while the Wildcats improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in the SEC.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Friday afternoon by winning two of the three doubles matches. Kentucky took victories at No. 1 and No. 2 while South Carolina took the No. 3 position. Miranda Gutierrez and Ayako Suzuki took the No. 3 doubles victory with an 8-3 win over Christine Simpson and Liis Sober. Laura Ganzer and Christyn Lucas dropped their match at one doubles to Aibika Kalsarieva and Lara Maurer, 8-2. Magda Wojdylo and Fallon Koon came up short at two doubles with an 8-6 loss to Sarah Foster and Joelle Schwenk.

USC’s only points on Friday would be won at the three and five single match-ups. Freshman Miranda Gutierrez defeated Joelle Schwenk 6-1,6-2 at three while Fallon Koon picked up the other point. Koon defeated Sober in the final two sets 6-3,1-0(5) after losing 6-4 in the first set. Justine Walsh fought hard at number six singles but came up short in the final set. The loss for Walsh was her first in dual matches this season and it was also the first loss at the No. 6 singles spot this season for Carolina.

The Gamecocks return to action on Sunday to host the No. 4 ranked Vanderbilt Commodores at 1pm.

Doubles
1. Kalsarieva/Maurer (UK) d. Ganzer/Lucas (SC) 8-2
2. Foster/Schwenk (UK) d. Wojdylo/Koon (SC) 8-6
3. Gutierrez/Suzuki (SC) d. Simpson/Sober (UK) 8-3
Order of Finish: 1,2,3

Singles:
1. #19 Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) d. Laura Ganzer (SC) 6-1,6-1
2. Lara Maurer (UK) d. Christyn Lucas (SC) 6-3,6-1
3. Miranda Gutierrez (SC) d. Joelle Schwenk (UK) 6-1,6-2
4. Sarah Foster (UK) d. Magda Woydylo (SC) 6-7,6-3,6-2
5. Fallon Koon (SC) d. Liis Sober 4-6,6-2,1-0(5)
6. Christine Simpson (UK) vs. Justine Walsh (SC) 2-6,6-0,1-0(12)
Order of Finish: 1,3,2,4,5,6