Feb. 5, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 45 South Carolina men’s tennis kicks off a four-match home stand with a 1 p.m. match against Charlotte on Sat., Feb. 6, at the USC Field House. The Gamecocks (2-2) are coming off a split at the ITA Kickoff Weekend event in Knoxville, looking to build momentum before opening SEC play on the road in March.

Early this season, the doubles point has set the tone for the Gamecocks, who have won the first point of the match in each of their two wins but dropped the leadoff point in two losses. Last season was much the same for South Carolina as the Gamecocks were 14-0 when picking up the doubles point but won just one match in which they lost the point. The nation’s 27th-ranked tandem of Diego Cubas and Ivan Machado lead the way for the Gamecocks with a 10-5 record this season, including a 3-1 mark in dual-match play.

In singles, Cubas has collected a team-high 11 victories and ranks 48th in the country. Senior Pedro Campos has been the most efficient player in the dual-match lineup, playing mostly in the No. 2 spot, with a 2-1 mark despite sitting out the fall campaign.

Charlotte has played just once so far this season, dropping a 6-0 decision at No. 22 North Carolina Thursday night. The 49ers return a pair of All-Atlantic 10 performers, although both have struggled so far in the 2009-10 campaign. First-team selection Moritz Bernhoerster is 3-7 for the season, while second-team member Michael Anders has started his junior season with a 1-8 slate. Sophomore Charles Martin-Lecamp opened the spring campaign in the No. 2 singles spot and brings a 7-5 record into this weekend’s match.

South Carolina has a 15-1 advantage in the all-time series against Charlotte, including a 12-1 slate in Columbia. The 49ers’ lone win in the series was a 3-2 decision on Feb. 19, 2000.