March 15, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY — The South Carolina women’s tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Megan McGavock won the decisive match for the Gamecocks at No. 5 singles, overcoming a 4-0 deficit in the third set to win 7-5. The Gamecocks are now 8-5 on the season while the Utes dropped to 9-5.
Winning the doubles point seemed like a far reach for the Gamecocks after Elizabeth Ferris and Emily Kwok defeated Gira Schofield and Ana Marija Zubori 8-4 at the top position. South Carolina trailed 6-3 on courts two and three but managed to steal victories on both. McGavock and Suzanna Mansour won 9-7 in their match with Leigh Walsh and Evgenia Kryuchkova at two, and Jelena Rajic and Natasa Vuckovic won five consecutive games to beat Andrea Maughan and Erin Monson 8-6.
Zubori put Carolina ahead 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Kryuchkova at No. 2 singles but Utah countered with Kwok upending Vuckovic 6-3, 6-3 on court three. The Utes then tied the score thanks to Monson defeating Mansour 7-5, 6-3 at the No. 4 spot.
Rajic then came through for the Gamecocks at six with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph versus Karine Bourdages. Ferris tied the score once again with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory against Schofield at the top of the lineup.
On court five, Walsh seemed to be heading for an easy win after downing McGavock 6-0 in the first set, but the Gamecock recovered to earn a 6-4 win in the second. After falling behind 4-0 and later 5-2 in the third set, McGavock mounted her incredible comeback by winning five consecutive games.
The Gamecocks return to SEC play Friday hosting Mississippi State at 2 p.m. at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center.
#33 South Carolina (8-5) def. #53 Utah (9-5), 4-3
Singles
1. #52 Elizabeth Ferris, Utah, def. #23 Gira Schofield, USC, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
2. #69 Ana Marija Zubori, USC, def. Evgenia Kryuchkova, Utah, 6-0, 6-3
3. Emily Kwok, Utah, def. Natasa Vuckovic, USC, 6-3, 6-3
4. Erin Monson, Utah, def. Suzanna Mansour, USC, 7-5, 6-3
5. Megan McGavock, USC, def. Leigh Walsh, Utah, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5
6. Jelena Rajic, USC, def. Karine Bourdages, Utah, 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 6, 1, 5
Doubles
1. Ferris/Kwok, Utah, def. #19 Schofield/Zubori, USC, 8-4
2. McGavock/Mansour, USC, def. Walsh/Kryuchkova, Utah, 9-7
3. Rajic/Vuckovic, USC, def. Maughan/Monson, Utah, 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
