March 15, 2007

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. — College of Charleston was no match for the South Carolina women’s tennis team Thursday, losing 6-1 to the Gamecocks in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Carolina improved to 10-3 overall with the victory and posted its 17th straight win in the series with the Cougars. CofC lost for just the second time this year and has an 8-2 record.

Gira Schofield and Ana Marija Zubori got things rolling for the Gamecocks when they downed Chelsea Albertz and Link Leskosky 8-1 at the No. 1 doubles position. Christyn Lucas and Natasa Vuckovic put USC ahead 1-0 when they posted an 8-2 victory over Holly Dowse and Anna Lee Evans on court 2. Laura Ganzer and Miranda Gutierrez completed the sweep for South Carolina by downing Laura Borza and Maxine Capewell 8-3 at the third slot.

It took little time for Carolina to move ahead 3-0 thanks to a pair of 6-1, 6-2 wins by Schofield and Zubori at the first and second singles positions over Albertz and Leskosky. Vuckovic went on to clinch the Gamecocks’ 10th win by scores of 6-0, 7-6 against Borza on court 3.

Ganzer finished fourth in singles and registered a 6-3, 6-2 triumph against Dowse the No. 5 spot. Gutierrez needed three sets to beat Capewell at six, eventually winning 6-0, 4-6, 6-1. Evans scored a point for College of Charleston in the last match on court 4 by upending Lucas 4-6, 6-3, (1-0).

South Carolina returns to action Saturday hosting Troy at 1:30 p.m. at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center in its final regular-season non-conference match of the year.

#34 South Carolina (10-3, 3-1 SEC) def. College of Charleston (8-2), 6-1

Singles
1. #119 Gira Schofield, USC, def. Chelsea Albertz, CofC, 6-1, 6-2
2. Ana Marija Zubori, USC, def. Link Leskosky, CofC, 6-1, 6-2
3. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Laura Borza, CofC, 6-0, 7-6
4. Anna Lee Evans, CofC, def. Christyn Lucas, USC, 4-6, 6-3, (1-0)
5. Laura Ganzer, USC, def. Holly Dowse, CofC, 6-3, 6-2
6. Miranda Gutierrez, USC, def. Maxine Capewell, CofC, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1

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

Doubles
1. #28 Schofield/Zubori, USC, def. Albertz/Leskosky, CofC, 8-1
2. Lucas/Vuckovic, USC, def. Dowse/Evans, CofC, 8-2
3. Ganzer/Gutierrez, USC, def. Borza/Capewell, CofC, 8-3

Order of finish: 1, 2, 3