Feb. 13, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 51 ranked South Carolina men’s tennis hosts Elon University Sat., Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. at the Sam Daniel Tennis Facility. It will be the fourth time that the two teams have squared off with the Gamecocks holding a 3-1 upper hand in the series. The last meeting yielded a 4-0 South Carolina victory on Feb. 22, 2007. The last win for the Phoenix came in 2007 (4-1).

The Gamecocks are 6-1 on the season and have won three straight matches. Junior Diego Cubas, who holds a 15-4 record and a No. 42 national ranking, leads South Carolina at No. 1 singles. Stepping up for Carolina in the spring season are senior Jaime Cuellar and junior Ivan Cressoni. Both are undefeated at 4-0 and 3-0, respectively.

Elon enters the match with a 3-3 record after sweeping a doubleheader over Lees-McRae (6-1) and South Carolina State (7-0). The Phoenix have won three of their last four matches. Senior Damon Gooch, ranked No. 6 in the ITA Mideast Region, was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week for his victories at the No. 1 singles and doubles spots last week. The doubles duo of Gooch and Phillip Nemec hold a No. 14 ranking in the latest ITA Mideast Doubles Rankings.

South Carolina is in match three of an eight-match home stand. The Gamecocks will host N.C. State on Fri., Feb. 20, at 2 p.m.