Oct. 24, 2015
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Freshman Paige Cline defeated fellow South Carolina freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins in the quarterfinals of the USTA/ITA Carolina Regionals Saturday to advance to the semifinals at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Two doubles teams also reached the semifinals with wins on Saturday, setting up three semifinals matches for the Gamecocks on Sunday.
Cline, who was 2-2 entering the event, has burst onto the scene with an impressive weekend, capped off by the 6-1, 6-2 win over Martins. She took down the No. 9 seed, Martina Frantova, from NC State, 7-6, 6-3, in the morning session and is set to face Clemson senior Joana Eidukonyte in the semifinal round. Eidukonyte is the No. 2 seed in the event and ranked No. 11 nationally.
“It’s been a good tournament so far and a big day today,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “The freshmen are really stepping up. Brigit (Folland) and Hadley (Berg) are playing great in doubles, and the freshmen are showing their competitive spirit. As you get late in these tournaments, whoever is mentally strongest and commits to what got them there is going to be successful. We’ve got to be decisive and keep being aggressive.”
Martins surged into the quarterfinal round following a win over the No. 4 seed, Jessie Aney from North Carolina, in the Round of 16. Aney, a freshman, was ranked as high as No. 4 in the 2015 signing class, but was taken down by Martins in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
In doubles, junior Brigit Folland and sophomore Hadley Berg took down the No. 53 ranked team nationally in fifth-seeded Martina Frantova and Claudia Wiktorin of NC State, 8-2. A court over, Martins and freshman Ellie Zogg defeated Duke’s Rebecca Smaller and Alyssa Smith, 8-6. Folland and Berg will face Eidukonyte and Theresa Piontek from Clemson, while Martins and Zogg go up against second-seeded Aney and Kate Vialle of North Carolina.
Folland fell just short of adding a third Gamecock to the Quarterfinal Round in singles, falling to Wake Forest’s Emma Davis early in the day.
The Semifinal Round takes place Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C., with the finals to follow Stay tuned to www.GamecocksOnline.com for tournament information, and follow the team on Twitter (@GamecockWTennis) for updates.
SATURDAY RESULTS
SINGLES
R16 (9) Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC) d. (4) Jessie Aney (UNC), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
R16 Paige Cline (SC) d. (9) Martina Frantova (NCSU), 7-6, 6-3
R16 Emma Davis (WF) d. (9) Brigit Folland (SC), 6-3, 6-2
QF Paige Cline (SC) d. (9) Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC), 6-1, 6-2
DOUBLES
QF (4) Berg/Folland (SC) d. (5) Frantova/Wiktorin (NCSU), 8-2
QF (5) Martins/Zogg (SC) d. Smaller/Smith (DUKE), 8-6
SUNDAY MATCHUPS
SINGLES
SF Paige Cline (SC) vs. Joana Eidukonyte (CLEM)
DOUBLES
SF (4) Berg/Folland (SC) vs. Eidukonyte/Piontek (CLEM)
SF (5) Martins/Zogg (SC) vs. (2) Aney/Vialle (UNC)
