March 15, 2007

LAS VEGAS – The 55th-ranked University of South Carolina men’s tennis team edged UNLV, 4-3, to snap a three-match losing streak on Thursday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nev. Freshman Ivan Cressoni’s win at No. 4 singles proved to the be the difference as the Gamecocks improved to 10-6 on the season and won their 14th straight match decided by a 4-3 score. With the loss, the Rebels fell to 4-9 on the year.

South Carolina surrendered the doubles point to go into a 1-0 hole, but responded with four singles victories to score the team points necessary to take the match from the Rebels.

At No. 2 singles, junior Yevgeny Supeko returned to the lineup after missing last weekend’s matches following wrist surgery. Supeko delivered a 6-0, 7-5 win over Brett Hunter to extend his record to 12-0 this spring. Supeko maintains a 14-match win streak dating back to the fall.

Freshman Pedro Campos got back on the winning track with a straight-sets victory over UNLV’s David Campbell at the second singles position. Campos shut out Campbell in the opening set, 6-0, and finished off the match with a 6-4 win in the second set. The rookie had fallen in his last four singles matches, but improved his record to 19-11 Thursday.

Freshman David Wolff was a winner at No. 5 singles, defeating Wesley Burrows, 7-6, 6-0, to score for Carolina and tie the match 3-3.

Cressoni pulled out a three-set win over Jonathan Hopper at No. 4 singles to seal the Gamecock victory. After falling 7-5 in the initial set, Cressoni stepped up his game to take the final two, 6-3, 6-1.

Thursday’s win marked the third of the season for South Carolina by a 4-3 score, adding to a list that includes victories over Georgia Tech and Mississippi State. Dating back to the 2004 season, the Gamecocks have string of 14 straight wins in matches that came down to the wire.

Carolina’s next match is scheduled for Friday, March 23, in Columbia. The Gamecocks will welcome the LSU Tigers to the Sam Daniel Tennis Center for a 2 p.m. SEC contest.

No. 55 South Carolina 4, UNLV 3

DOUBLES
1. Hunter/Wronski (UNLV) vs. Campos/Supeko (USC) DNF
2. Burrows/Hooper (UNLV) def. Rodrigues/Cressoni (USC) 8-5
3. Campbell/Bijelica (UNLV) def. Thomas Stoddard/Joseph Veeder (USC) 8-3

SINGLES
1. Elliot Wronski (UNLV) def. Pedro Rodrigues (USC) 7-6, 6-2
2. #123 Yevgeny Supeko (USC) def. Brett Hunter (UNLV) 6-0, 7-5
3. Pedro Campos (USC) def. David Campbell (UNLV) 6-0, 6-4
4. Ivan Cressoni (USC) def. Jonathan Hooper (UNLV) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
5. David Wolff (USC) def. Wesley Burrows (UNLV) 7-6, 6-0
6. Slavko Bijelica (UNLV) def. Spencer Feldman (USC) 7-6, 6-3