May 23, 2012

ATHENS, Ga. — South Carolina women’s tennis senior Anya Morgina earned a 6-3, 6-3 upset of 15th-ranked Jacqueline Cako of Arizona State on Wednesday in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championship in Athens, Ga., at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Morgina is currently ranked No. 45 in the nation and improved to 21-9 this season with the win.

Morgina is the first Gamecock since current interim head coach Katarina Petrovic to defeat a seeded player at the NCAA Singles Championship. Petrovic upset No. 2-seeded Kelly McCain of Duke in 2002. Cako is one of eight No. 9-16 seeds for the tournament.

“Anya played her best match of the season today,” Petrovic said. “She was very coachable and she simply outplayed her opponent. Anya played under control and stuck to the game plan the entire time. She did exactly what she needed to do, and I’m very proud of her performance.”

Cako marks the highest ranked player Morgina has beaten in her career at No. 15. Her previous best win came against then-No. 23 Anouk Tigu of Arkansas in March 2011.

Morgina will face No. 40 Aeriel Ellis of Texas in the second round Thursday. It is the first meeting between the two at the collegiate level.