Skip to main content
Partner logo
Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link
Gamecocks+

March 25, 2016

9258489.jpeg#8 South Carolina vs. #7 Florida
Live Scoring // Twitter // Facebook

Series Breakdown
Opponent Last Meeting (Date) Series
Florida L, 4-0 (3/28/15) UF, 2-42

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two of the SEC’s three remaining unbeaten teams square off on Sat., March 26, when No. 8 South Carolina women’s tennis hosts No. 7 Florida at 1 p.m. at the Carolina Tennis Center. The match marks the Gamecocks’ first top-10 showdown in program history as Carolina remained in the Top 10 for the second-consecutive week following a pair of road wins, while the Gators made the move from 13 to seven in this week’s ITA Rankings a pair of SEC road sweeps. Admission and parking at all home matches are free.

The Gamecocks (14-2, 6-0), in the midst of a historic season, enter the weekend with their best overall record since 1999, and best start to SEC play in program history. Eleven of South Carolina’s 14 wins have come against ranked opponents, including two top-10 opponents and five top-30 foes. Florida (11-2, 6-0), which began the season at No. 3 in the rankings, comes in with a nearly identical resume. The Gators have won six in a row with 10 of their 11 wins over ranked teams, including two top-10 opponents and five top-30 foes. Carolina is 2-0 against top-10 teams this spring, while Florida is 2-1.

Quotable

Head Coach Kevin Epley: “We are excited to see how we stack up against one of the best teams in the nation this Saturday. We have been practicing hard all week, and we look ready to go. Florida is not underestimating us, and they are a talented, well-coached team. We expect them to come in here prepared for a great SEC battle.”

In The Rankings

Four Gamecocks have tallied a total of five weekly honors from the SEC office this spring. Sophomore Hadley Berg is the latest to be recognized as her tremendous start to the season earned her SEC Player of the Week honors on March 23. Junior Caroline Dailey was named SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 24, after her victory over the nation’s 11th-ranked player helped her squad rally to beat No. 21 Clemson. Freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins has been tabbed the SEC Freshman of the Week twice, most recently on March 2nd after she helped clinch two points for South Carolina in its win over No. 27 Wake Forest. Freshman Paige Cline also earned a Freshman of the Week nod a week ago after helping her team jump out to a 2-0 start to SEC action.

Earning Honors

Three Gamecocks have tallied a total of four weekly honors from the SEC office this spring. Junior Caroline Dailey was named SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 24, after her victory over the nation’s 11th-ranked player helped her squad rally to beat No. 21 Clemson. Freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins has been tabbed the SEC Freshman of the Week twice, most recently on March 2nd after she helped clinch two points for South Carolina in its win over No. 27 Wake Forest. Freshman Paige Cline also earned a Freshman of the Week nod a week ago after helping her team jump out to a 2-0 start to SEC action.

Quick Hits

  • The Gamecocks are in the Top 10 this season for the first time since 1983.
  • The Gamecocks have won nine in a row, its longest winning streak since 1999, with eight of the wins against ranked opponents.
  • South Carolina’s win over then-No. 5 Vanderbilt marked its first win over a top-5 team since 2005.
  • South Carolina has multiple wins over top-10 opponents in a season for the first time since 2004.
  • Fourteen of the Gamecocks’ 16 opponents have been ranked in the Oracle/ITA Rankings at some point this season.
  • The Gamecocks have won the doubles point in 12-of-16 matches this spring, posting a 3-1 record when dropping the point.
  • Carolina is a combined 26-2 in the No. 4 and 5 spots of the singles lineup this spring.
  • Sophomore Hadley Berg is perfect in her first 14 singles results, the best start for a Gamecock since 1995.
  • Junior Brigit Folland has racked up nine straight victories en route to a 12-1 spring record.
  • Freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins, now at the No. 2 position in singles, holds an 11-4 record this spring and leads the team with four three-set wins this spring.

Scouting No. 7 Florida

  • The Gators earned 4-0 wins on the road at No. 19 Mississippi State and No. 37 Ole Miss last weekend.
  • Florida sports the most ranked singles players in the country as all six Gators in the lineup are ranked.
  • Florida’s losses came at No. 1 California, 4-3, and at No. 16 Stanford, 4-3.
  • Ranked in singles: Belinda Woolcock (9), Brooke Austin (10), Kourtney Keegan (43), Josie Kuhlman (82), Anna Danilina (87), Brianna Morgan (101).
  • Ranked in doubles: Austin and Keegan (5), Kuhlman and Woolcock (30), Liang and Porter (50), Kuhlman and Morgan (62).

Up Next

Carolina continues its four-match home stand with No. 17 Texas A&M on Thurs., March 31, at 5 p.m. The Gamecocks’ final home matches of the season take place on Sat., April 2, with the Gamecocks hosting No. 15 LSU and the College of Charleston. First serve with the Tigers is set for Noon.

Related stories