Jan. 25, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina women’s tennis team opened the 2006 dual-match season Wednesday with a 7-0 win over the College of Charleston. The Gamecocks never lost a set as the team extended its all-time record against the Cougars to 16-2.

The Gamecocks opened the match by taking a 1-0 lead with three doubles wins. In their collegiate debuts, freshmen Gira Schofield and Natasa Vuckovic earned an 8-4 victory over Chelsea Albertz and Payten Ellington. Senior Danielle Wiggins and junior Miranda Gutierrez defeated Maxine Capewell and Ashley Finnegan, 8-3, while in the third doubles spot, redshirt sophomore Grace Blakely and sophomore Megan McGavock picked up an 8-3 victory.

South Carolina continued its winning into singles as 59th-ranked Schofield took the No. 1 match from Maxine Capewell in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Wiggins then earned a 6-2, 6-0 win over Albertz while McGavock defeated Amanda Becker, 6-3, 7-5, and Vuckovic, ranked 62nd, beat Finnegan, 6-2, 6-3. Completing the sweep with wins in the fifth and sixth positions were Blakely and Gutierrez, defeating Ellington, 6-0, 6-0, and Jenna Marks, 6-2, 6-0, respectively.

The Gamecocks return to the court Jan. 29 as they host Davidson at 1 p.m. at the USC Indoor Tennis Facility.

Doubles:
1. Schofield/Vuckovic (SC) d. Albertz/Ellington (CofC) 8-4
2. Wiggins/Gutierrez (SC) d. Capewell/Finnegan (CofC) 8-3
3. Blakely/McGavock (SC) d. Becker/Marks (CofC) 8-3

Singles:
1. Gira Schofield (SC) d. Maxine Capewell (CofC) 6-2, 6-2
2. Danielle Wiggins (SC) d. Chelsea Albertz (CofC) 6-2, 6-0
3. Megan McGavock (SC) d. Amanda Becker (CofC) 6-3, 7-5
4. Natasa Vuckovic (SC) d. Ashley Finnegan (CofC) 6-2, 6-3
5. Grace Blakely (SC) d. Payten Ellington (CofC) 6-0, 6-0
6. Miranda Gutierrez (SC) d. Jenna Marks (CofC) 6-2, 6-0