March 26, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team was defeated 4-3 by the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks on Sunday at the Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center in Columbia, S.C. The Gamecocks dropped to 10-5 and 3-3 in Southeastern Conference play, while Arkansas improved to 5-8 and 1-5 in the SEC.

USC lost the doubles point, which proved to be the difference in the match. Laura Ganzer and Miranda Gutierrez picked up an 8-2 victory for the Gamecocks at the No. 3 position against Audrey Bordeleau and Melissa Cornett. The matches on courts one and two belonged to the Lady Razorbacks, with Maryori Franco and Karina Ledaja providing the clinching win at No. 2 against Christyn Lucas and Natasa Vuckovic 8-6.

The first three singles matches that finished belonged to the Gamecocks, starting with Vuckovic’s 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Vlatka Jovanovic at the No. 2 slot. Gutierrez snagged a 6-4, 6-3 win against Ledaja at five singles after trailing 4-1 in the first set. Lucas was next to finish with a 6-4, 6-4 upset versus 53rd-ranked Ela Kaluder on court three.

The Lady’Backs responded with Aurelija Miseviciute’s 6-3, 6-3 victory over Gira Schofield at the top spot. Cornett tied the match up at 3-3 when she claimed a three setter over Grace Blakely at No. 6 singles 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Franco and Megan McGavock’s match on court four decided the outcome. The first set went to Franco 6-4, but McGavock struck back with a 6-1 victory in the second stanza. McGavock was up 2-1 in the third before Franco claimed five consecutive games to give Arkansas the 4-3 win.

USC will hit the road for its next three SEC matches beginning with Auburn on Friday at 6 p.m. CST. The Gamecocks then take on Alabama on Sunday at 2 p.m. CST before an April 7 meeting with Kentucky.

#68 Arkansas (5-8, 1-5 SEC) def. #34 South Carolina (10-5, 3-3 SEC), 4-3

Singles
1. #23 Aurelija Miseviciute, UA, def. #68 Gira Schofield, USC, 6-3, 6-3
2. #115 Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Vlatka Jovanovic, UA, 6-2, 6-2
3. Christyn Lucas, USC, def. #53 Ela Kaluder, UA, 6-4, 6-4
4. Maryori Franco, UA, def. Megan McGavock, USC, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
5. Miranda Gutierrez, USC, def. Karina Ledaja, UA, 6-4, 6-3
6. Melissa Cornett, UA, def. Grace Blakely, USC, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

Order of finish: 2, 5, 3, 1, 6, 4

Doubles
1. Kaluder/Miseviciute, UA, def. McGavock/Schofield, USC, 8-5
2. Franco/Ledaja, UA, def. Lucas/Vuckovic, USC, 8-6
3. Ganzer/Gutierrez, USC, def. Audrey Bordeleau/Cornett, UA, 8-2

Order of finish: 3, 1, 2