Feb. 13, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team moved to 5-0 after defeating Winthrop 7-0 Wednesday evening at the USC Indoor Fieldhouse in Columbia, S.C. The Eagles saw their record dip to 0-5 with the loss.
It took the Gamecocks just a half hour to win the doubles point. Miljana Jocic and Natasa Vuckovic won first for South Carolina at two doubles against Sara Abutovic and Yelena Fadina by an 8-0 score. Two minutes afterward, Suzanna Mansour and Megan McGavock snagged an 8-2 decision from Larisa Bekmetova and Paula Pereira on court three.
The remaining doubles match at one saw both teams trade games back and forth until Patricia Coimbra and Elizaveta Zaytseva from Winthrop broke the serve of Gira Schofield and Ana Marija Zubori to move ahead 5-4. Carolina’s duo responded, though, and claimed the final four games to stay undefeated this year.
Vuckovic wasted no time putting the Gamecocks ahead 2-0 after sweeping Abutovic 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 3 slot. It was the first match Vuckovic played this season that did not require three sets. Zubori was next to finish on court two, beating Coimbra 6-2, 6-1, and Mansour clinched the match with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 triumph over Bekmetova at four singles.
Rajic had no trouble in her match with Pereira at the No. 5 hole, winning 6-1, 6-1. Schofield battled her way to a 7-6(1), 7-6(4) win versus Zaytseva at the top position, and Jocic upended Fadina 6-2, 6-1 to close out the evening at No. 6 singles.
The Gamecocks return to the courts Friday, Feb. 22, when they host N.C. State at 2 p.m. and then Clemson the following day at 1 p.m. Both matches will be held at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center.
#32 South Carolina (5-0) def. Winthrop (0-5), 7-0
Singles
1. #26 Gira Schofield, USC, def. Elizaveta Zaytseva, WU, 7-6(1), 7-6(4)
2. #73 Ana Marija Zubori, USC, def. Patricia Coimbra, WU, 6-2, 6-1
3. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, def. Sara Abutovic, WU, 6-0, 6-0
4. Suzanna Mansour, USC, def. Larisa Bekmetova, WU, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
5. Jelena Rajic, USC, def. Paula Pereira, WU, 6-1, 6-1
6. Miljana Jocic, USC, def. Yelena Fadina, WU, 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 4, 5, 1, 6
Doubles
1. #9 Schofield/Zubori, USC, def. Coimbra/Zaytseva, WU, 8-5
2. Jocic/Vuckovic, USC, def. Abutovic/Fadina, WU, 8-0
3. Mansour/Megan McGavock, USC, def. Bekmetova/Pereira, WU, 8-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
