Jan. 25, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s women’s tennis team opened the 2008 season Friday with a 7-0 sweep of Troy at the USC Indoor Fieldhouse in Columbia, S.C.

The Gamecocks won the first and third doubles positions to take a 1-0 lead heading to singles play. Suzanna Mansour and Megan McGavock won first against Rawia El Sisi and Caroline Jounian 8-3 on court three. USC’s ninth-ranked duo of Gira Schofield and Ana Marija Zubori downed Annabelle Bares and Stephanie Vieria by the same to score to clinch the point.

Jelena Rajic raced through her singles match on court four after losing in doubles. She won her first set 6-3 and took a 5-2 lead in the second against Vieria before winning 6-4 to put USC ahead 2-0.

Schofield, ranked No. 26 in the nation, knocked off her first ranked opponent of the spring with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 65 Bares at the top slot. Zubori gave the Gamecocks the win after snagging a 7-6, 6-0 triumph from El Sisi at No. 2 singles.

Natasa Vuckovic added to South Carolina’s point total after winning a marathon with Mirte De Bakker 6-7, 6-1, (11-9). Miljana Jocic and Troy’s Leonie Guijt played an eight-game pro set for No. 5 singles that was won by Jocic 8-6. The last match of the day saw

South Carolina will host College of Charleston for its next match Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the USC Indoor Fieldhouse.

#30 South Carolina (1-0) def. Troy (0-1), 7-0

Singles
1. #26 Gira Schofield, USC, def. #65 Annabelle Bares, TU, 6-4, 6-4
2. #73 Ana Marija Zubori, USC, def. Rawia El Sisi, TU, 7-6, 6-0
3. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Mirte De Bakker, TU, 6-7, 6-1, (11-9)
4. Jelena Rajic, USC, def. Stephanie Vieria, TU, 6-3, 6-4
5. Miljana Jocic, USC, def. Leonie Guijt, TU, 8-6
6. Suzanna Mansour, USC, def. Caroline Jounian, TU, 6-1, 6-4

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

Doubles
1. #9 Schofield/Zubori, USC, def. Bares/Vieria, TU, 8-3
2. De Bakker/Guijt, TU, def. Rajic/Vuckovic, USC, 8-3
3. Mansour/McGavock, USC, def. El Sisi/Jounian, TU, 8-3

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3