Sept. 25, 2010

By Matt Freed
Assistant Media Relations Director

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Madeleine Saari-Byström and Dominika Kanakova finished the singles portion of the Furman Fall Classic on Saturday with undefeated records.

Saari-Byström claimed the singles title in flight five by first defeating Nelly Radeva from Vanderbilt 6-1, 6-3 and then Tessa Lyons from North Carolina in the championship 6-0, 6-2. With three victories this weekend, Saari-Byström improved to 8-1 this fall in singles to lead the team. Her eight wins have all come consecutively as well after she dropped her first match of the year at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic.

Kanakova grabbed a pair of wins in flight six, which was played in a round-robin format. She needed three sets in her first match to down North Carolina’s Haley Hemm 7-6, 2-6, 6-0 and then she defeated Laura Slater, also from North Carolina, by scores of 6-3, 6-1. Kanakova upped her fall record to 7-2 and has now won six matches in a row.

Katerina Popova took third place in flight three after losing in the semifinals to Shinann Featherston of UNC 6-3, 6-0. Popova’s 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Lauren McHale in her final match gave her the third-place finish and a 5-1 record this fall.

In flight one, Anya Morgina took fourth place after suffering a pair of losses, as did Miljana Jocic in flight four. Dijana Stojic lost her first consolation match in flight two to Jelena Durisic from North Carolina in three sets 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Stojic then withdrew from the tournament instead of playing her final match due to an abdominal injury.

The Gamecocks will wrap up play in the Furman Fall Classic on Sunday morning with one round of doubles.

DAY TWO RESULTS

Singles
#13 Josipa Bek, CU, def. #70 Anya Morgina, USC, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 (Flight 1)
Brynn Boren, UT, def. #70 Anya Morgina, USC, 6-3, 6-4 (Flight 1)
#84 Jelena Durisic, UNC, def. #58 Dijana Stojic, USC, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 (Flight 2)
Shinann Featherston, UNC, def. Katerina Popova, USC, 6-3, 6-0 (Flight 3)
Katerina Popova, USC, def. Lauren McHale, UNC, 6-2, 6-2 (Flight 3)
Gina Suarez-Malaguti, UNC, def. Miljana Jocic, USC, 6-1, 6-3 (Flight 4)
Vlara Vyskocilova, CU, def. Miljana Jocic, USC, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 (Flight 4)
Madeleine Saari-Byström, USC, def. Nelly Radeva, VU, 6-1, 6-3 (Flight 5)
Madeleine Saari-Byström, USC, def. Tessa Lyons, UNC, 6-0, 6-2 (Flight 5)
Dominika Kanakova, USC, def. Haley Hemm, UNC, 7-6, 2-6, 6-0 (Flight 6)
Dominika Kanakova, USC, def. Laura Slater, UNC, 6-3, 6-1 (Flight 6)