March 9, 2011

CHARLESTON, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis won eight of the nine matches contested in a 7-0 sweep of The Citadel Wednesday afternoon at Earle Tennis Center. The Gamecocks (6-6, 1-1 SEC) dropped just three sets in the match and kept alive their streak of winning matches when claiming the opening doubles point.

The Gamecocks got off to a good start with an 8-4 win by Alexander Kostanov and Chip Cox in the No. 2 doubles position, and the senior duo of Johannes Pulsfort and Chris Sheehan delivered the doubles point with an 8-5 win in the No. 3 spot.

In singles action, Nick Jones needed just 15 games to dispatch James Atkinson in the No. 2 match, picking up his second dual-match singles win of the season (6-3, 6-0). Sophomore Harry Menzies collected his third win in his last four outings with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Josh Cook in the No. 4 slot. Playing in the No. 5 position, freshman Jake Bowling clinched the team victory with his 6-4, 6-3 win over Derek Dickey.

Junior Henry Walker kept the bid for a sweep alive by winning his third-set super-tiebreaker to turn in a 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (5) win over Elliott Sperr. It was the first dual-match victory of Walker’s Gamecock career. Pulsfort needed a late service break to close out Dillon Berkabile in the No. 3 match, but closed it out in straight sets (6-4, 7-5). Kostanov wrapped up the effort with a third-set super-tiebreaker as well, topping The Citadel’s top player David Orces 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-0 (7) for his third-straight singles victory.

South Carolina continues its three-match road swing with a pair of SEC matches this weekend. The Gamecocks head first to No. 26 Auburn for a 3 p.m. (ET) match on Fri., March 11, before moving on to face No. 35 Alabama at 2 p.m. (ET) on Sun., March 13.

South Carolina 7, The Citadel 0

Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1)
1. Derek Dickey/David Orces (CIT) def. Ivan Machado / Nick Jones (SC) 8-6
2. Alexander Kostanov / Chip Cox (SC) def. Josh Cook/Elliott Sperr (CIT) 8-4
3. Johannes Pulsfort / Chris Sheehan (SC) def. Dillon Berkabile/Jeremiah Dye (CIT) 8-5

Singles (Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 1)
1. Alexander Kostanov (SC) def. David Orces (CIT) 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-0 (7)
2. Nick Jones (SC) def. James Atkinson (CIT) 6-3, 6-0
3. Johannes Pulsfort (SC) def. Dillon Berkabile (CIT) 6-4, 7-5
4. Harry Menzies (SC) def. Josh Cook (CIT) 6-4, 6-0
5. Jake Bowling (SC) def. Derek Dickey (CIT) 6-4, 6-3
6. Henry Walker (SC) def. Elliott Sperr (CIT) 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (5)