Jan. 31, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 24th-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team defeated No. 60 Furman, 7-0, Tuesday at the USC Indoor Tennis Facility. With the win, the Gamecocks improve to 3-0 on the spring season and are now 21-6 all-time against the Lady Paladins, who drop to 0-2.

Playing at No. 1 doubles, freshman Gira Schofield and sophomore Megan McGavock defeated Laura Gioia and Marti Morris, 8-3, while junior Laura Ganzer and freshman Natasa Vuckovic took the second doubles match, 8-1, over Shannon Moore and Lauren Osborne. In No. 3 doubles, senior Danielle Wiggins and junior Miranda Gutierrez fell by a final score of 9-8(3), losing in a tiebreaker after coming back to tie the match at eight.

After taking two of the three doubles matches, the Gamecocks headed into the singles competition with a 1-0 lead. Vuckovic, ranked 62nd in the nation, clinched the USC victory with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win over Osborne, while Ganzer and Schofield each won in straight sets over Shannon Moore, 6-4, 6-0, and Gioia, 6-2, 6-2, respectively. Playing at No. 2 singles, Wiggins claimed a 6-1, 6-3 win over Marti Morris. The fifth and sixth singles matches were pro sets as McGavock defeated Bonnie Baird, 8-4, and Gutierrez earned an 8-1 victory over Lauren Tomory.

South Carolina hits the road for the first time this season when they travel to College Park, Md. for matches against No. 31 Maryland Feb. 3 and No. 35 Michigan Feb. 4. The next home match is Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. against in-state rival Clemson, ranked 17th in the nation.

FINAL RESULTS:
South Carolina 7
Furman 0

Doubles:
1. Schofield/McGavock (SC) d. Gioia/Morris (F) 8-3
2. Ganzer/Vuckovic (SC) d. Moore/Osborne (F) 8-1
3. Eckert/Manojlovic (F) d. Wiggins/Gutierrez (SC) 9-8(3)
Order of Finish: 2,1,3

Singles:
1. Gira Schofield (SC) d. Laura Gioia (F) 6-2, 6-2
2. Danielle Wiggins (SC) d. Marti Morris (F) 6-1, 6-3
3. Natasa Vuckovic (SC) d. Lauren Osborne (F) 6-2, 7-6(3)
4. Laura Ganzer (SC) d. Shannon Moore (F) 6-4, 6-0
5. Megan McGavock (SC) d. Bonnie Baird (F) 8-4
6. Miranda Gutierrez (SC) d. Lauren Tomory (F) 8-1
Order of Finish: 4,1,3,2,6,5