Sept. 20, 2013
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team posted an impressive first-day showing at the Tribe Invitational on Friday in Williamsburg, Va., with a combined 7-3 singles record and an 8-2 showing in doubles.
Four Gamecocks recorded undefeated days led by newcomer Meghan Blevins. The junior defeated June Lee of Harvard in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in her respective singles flight and snared a pair of wins in doubles playing with Ximena Siles Luna. The duo defeated pairs from Oklahoma and Virginia to advance to the finals of their draw. Siles Luna also went unbeaten on the day thanks to a 6-3, 6-0 drubbing of Melissa Matsuoka from Dartmouth.
Freshman Brigit Folland won easily versus Li Xi from Virginia in her singles draw. She teamed up with Dominika Kanakova earlier in the day for a pair of doubles wins against teams from Utah and Harvard to advance to the finals.
Redshirt freshman Natalie Looney rounded out the Gamecocks’ unbeaten players for the day, as she won her singles contest against Harvard’s Amy He after He retired with an injury prior to the start of the third set. In doubles, Looney and Katerina Popova recorded 8-3 and 8-1 triumphs over a couple of Ivy League schools, Dartmouth and Harvard, en route to the finals of their doubles draw.
Elixane Lechemia and Caroline Dailey both posted 2-1 records on the day. They each won their singles matches and split two doubles matches playing together. Popova also went 2-1, falling in singles play while recording the two doubles wins with Looney. Katie Fosnacht posted a 2-1 slate as well with a three-set victory in singles and a doubles split while partnering up with Alex Martin.
Blevins, Folland, Dailey, Looney and Fosnacht all made their debuts for South Carolina on Friday, combining to go 5-0 in singles and surrendering just two sets.
The Gamecocks will look to claim three doubles titles Saturday and advance seven players to the finals of their singles draws. Play kicks off at 9 a.m. with doubles.
MEGAN MOULTON-LEVY SINGLES
Elixane Lechemia, SC, def. Katherine Yau, Dartmouth, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Rachel Pierson, Virginia, def. #77 Katerina Popova, SC, 6-3, 6-0
LAUREN NIKOLAUS SINGLES
Spencer Liang, Harvard, def. Dominika Kanakova, SC, 6-3, 6-3
CHERIE DOW SINGLES
#109 Meghan Blevins, SC, def. June Lee, Harvard, 7-5, 6-2
JULIE SHIFLET SINGLES
Brigit Folland, SC, def. Li Xi, Virginia, 6-3, 6-0
KRISTINE KURTH SINGLES
Ximena Siles Luna, SC, def. Melissa Matsuoka, Dartmouth, 6-3, 6-0
MARGIE WATERS SINGLES
Amy He, Harvard, def. Alex Martin, SC, 6-1, 6-2
MARION GENGLER SINGLES
Caroline Dailey, SC, def. Hannah Morrill, Harvard, 6-4, 6-4
MARY CATHERINE MURANO SINGLES
Natalie Looney, SC, def. Sylvia Li, 4-6, 6-4 retired
JANE LENNON SINGLES
Katie Fosnacht, SC, def. Anne Gulsrud, Marshall, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1
KATRIN GUENTHER DOUBLES
Lechemia/Dailey, SC, def. Terteac/Noi, VCU, 8-4
Elbaba/Pierson, Virginia, def. Lechemia/Dailey, SC, 8-3
Kanakova/Folland, SC, def. Craig/Pham, Utah, 8-5
Kanakova/Folland, SC, def. Lin/Lin, Harvard, 8-1
MICHELLE O DOUBLES
Siles Luna/Blevins, SC, def. Engbroks/Melrose, Oklahoma, 8-1
Siles Luna/Blevins, SC, def. Peretz/Faure, Virginia, 8-4
JOHANNA SONES DOUBLES
Popova/Looney, SC, def. Bessen/Tan, Dartmouth, 8-3
Popova/Looney, SC, def. Li/Mirda, Harvard, 8-1
KATARINA ZORICIC DOUBLES
Martin/Fosnacht, SC, def. Bercyte/Centenari, Wake Forest, 8-3
Timko/Morales, Marshall, def. Martin/Fosnacht, SC, 8-2
