March 27, 2014
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 65th-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team looks to pick up a pair of SEC victories this week when it hosts No. 49 LSU on Friday at 5 p.m. and No. 45 Arkansas on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Carolina Tennis Center in Columbia, S.C.
The Gamecocks (10-8, 1-6 SEC) suffered a pair of 4-1 setbacks in Alabama last week, losing to then-No. 8 Alabama on Friday night and No. 20 Auburn on Sunday afternoon. In the loss to Alabama, Elixane Lechemia picked up Carolina’s one point on the day by defeating then-No. 58 Mary Anne Daines to mark the highest ranked victory of her career. The win earned Lechemia her first career national ranking in singles this week, as she came in at No. 117. Lechemia is currently ranked 54th in doubles with Dominika Kanakova as well. Meghan Blevins scored the Gamecocks’ one point versus Auburn at No. 4 singles in straight sets over Michala Kucharova. Blevins has the team’s best record in dual matches this season with an 11-4 mark and she is 3-3 in SEC matches. The Charleston, S.C., native also sports a 10-1 record playing on court four this spring.
LSU (9-8, 2-6 SEC) split a pair of home matches last weekend as it topped then-No. 69 Mississippi State and fell to then-No. 32 Ole Miss. After falling in the doubles point against Mississippi State, four Lady Tigers captured singles victories for a 4-1 final. It marked the third time in SEC play where four courts went to three sets for LSU. After an hour rain delay versus Ole Miss, the match began with singles play. LSU dropped a 4-1 decision to the Rebels with the Tigers’ one victory coming at the top spot from 88th-ranked Joana Vale Costa.
Arkansas (12-10, 2-6 SEC) earned a couple of dual match victories on Sunday to close out a 2-1 weekend at home. The Razorbacks fell in a close 4-3 decision to Ole Miss on Friday but bounced back with a 4-1 victory over Mississippi State on Sunday. Yang Pang and Oleksandra Shkorupeieva paired at No. 1 doubles and upset then-No. 40 Alexandra Perper and Naomi Tran of MSU in convincing fashion, cruising to an 8-1 victory. UA also hosted Oral Roberts on Sunday, which it swept 6-0. The Razorbacks then picked up wins against North Florida (5-2) and Bethune-Cookman (6-1) in Jacksonville, Fla., on Tuesday. Arkansas will face No. 4 Florida on Friday at 5 p.m. before taking on the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks hold a strong advantage in the all-time series with Arkansas, having won 21 of the 26 all-time match-ups. Last season, South Carolina posted a 5-2 victory over the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Ark. South Carolina has dominated the Tigers over the years as well with a 20-4 advantage. The Tigers have only won once in Columbia and have never won there since South Carolina joined the SEC. Last season, the Gamecocks cruised to a 5-1 victory over LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
South Carolina will play its final SEC road matches of the season next week when it faces No. 26 Ole Miss at 4 p.m. in Oxford, Miss., on April 4 and No. 75 Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., at 2 p.m. on April 6.
