March 31, 2006
AUBURN, Ala. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team snagged a decisive 6-1 victory against Auburn on Friday in Auburn, Ala. The Gamecocks moved to 11-5 with the win and 4-3 in the SEC, while the Tigers dipped to 5-12 and 0-7 in the league.
USC pulled out a tightly contested doubles point by winning at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions. Megan McGavock and Gira Schofield were able to defeat Whitney Chappell and Alex Haney 8-5 at the top slot, and Christyn Lucas and Natasa Vuckovic were 9-8 winners over Ashley Cowart and Tori Almagno. The third spot belonged to Auburn with Dzeljan Memisi and Irina Pljusznyin downing Grace Blakely and Miranda Gutierrez 9-8.
The Gamecocks quickly won three singles matches in which they only lost a combined five games. Gutierrez was first to finish at four singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Almagno. McGavock got USC’s third point by scores of 6-1, 6-2 versus Memisi at the No. 5 slot. Justine Walsh provided the clincher when she upended Erin Gray on court six 6-2, 6-0.
Later winners for South Carolina included Vuckovic, who came out on top of Chappell 7-5, 6-0 at No. 2 singles, and Lucas at the third position against Cowart in a 6-2, 7-5 decision. The Tigers registered their lone point when Haney pulled out a 6-4, 7-6 triumph against Schofield at the top of the lineup.
USC will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for a meeting with the Crimson Tide on Sunday at 1 p.m. CST. Alabama was defeated 6-1 by No. 7 Florida on Friday to fall to 7-8 and 3-4 in the SEC.
#34 South Carolina (11-5, 4-3 SEC) def. Auburn (5-12, 0-7 SEC)
Singles
1. Alex Haney, AU, def. #68 Gira Schofield, USC, 6-4, 7-6
2. #115 Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Whitney Chappell, AU, 7-5, 6-0
3. Christyn Lucas, USC, def. Ashley Cowart, AU, 6-2, 7-5
4. Miranda Gutierrez, USC, def. Tori Almagno, AU, 6-0, 6-0
5. Megan McGavock, USC, def. Dzeljan Memisi, AU, 6-1, 6-2
6. Justine Walsh, USC, def. Erin Gray, AU, 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 2, 3, 1
Doubles
1. McGavock/Schofield, USC, def. Chappell/Haney, AU, 8-5
2. Lucas/Vuckovic, USC, def. Cowart/Almagno, AU, 9-8
3. Memisi/Irina Pljusznyin, AU, def. Grace Blakely/Gutierrez, USC, 9-8
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
