No. 10 Gamecocks Top Alabama for Eighth SEC Win

April 10, 2016

Pos.	*Singles (1, 5, 2, 6, )**	Score
1.	#36 Erin Routliffe (UA) d. #83 Caroline Dailey (SC)	6-3, 6-2
2.	#50 Andie Daniell (UA) d. #75 Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC)	6-2, 6-4
3.	Paige Cline (SC) d. Natalia Maynetto (UA)	6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4.	Danielle Spielmann (UA) d. Hadley Berg (SC)	4-6, 6-2, 6-3
5.	Brigit Folland (SC) d. Joanna Savva (UA)	7-5, 6-2
6.	Ximena Siles Luna (SC) d. Bennett Dunn (UA)	6-2, 6-2

Pos.	*Doubles (3, 2)**	Score
1.	#24 Berg/Cline (SC) vs. #68 Routliffe/Maynetto (UA)	Susp.
2.	Dailey/Folland (SC) d. Daniell/Savva (UA)	6-2
3.	Martins/Rohrabacher (SC) d. Dunn/Spielmann (UA)	6-1

TUSCALOOSA, ALA. — No. 10 South Carolina women’s tennis rebounded from its heartbreaking loss on Friday with a 4-3 victory over No. 56 Alabama on Sunday at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Gamecocks and Crimson Tide were deadlocked at 3-3 when freshman Paige Cline rallied for a third-set win at No. 3 singles to give the Gamecocks their eighth SEC win for the first time since 2007.

The Gamecocks improve to 8-3 in SEC play, 16-5 overall and locked in a tie for fourth with No. 13 Auburn. The Crimson Tide fall to 0-11 in league play and 4-15 overall.

The Gamecocks got on the board first after a strong doubles performance. Freshmen Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Rachel Rohrabacher struck first, earning a 6-1 win at No. 3. Juniors Caroline Dailey and Brigit Folland followed with a 6-2 win at No. 2 that gave South Carolina a 1-0 overall lead.

Alabama evened the score at 1-1 as No. 36 Erin Routliffe defeated No. 83 Dailey at No. 1, but the Gamecocks regained the lead after Folland captured a straight-set victory at No. 5. The two teams again swapped victories once again as No. 50 Andie Daniell beat No. 63 Ingrid Gamarra Martins at No. 2 before senior Ximena Siles Luna powered her way to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 6.

With the Gamecocks leading 3-2, the final two matches were decided in third sets. Sophomore Hadley Berg couldn’t close out her opponent after winning the opening set, falling 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4 for just her third loss of the spring. Cline, however, was able to come through down the stretch with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 triumph at No. 2 for her fourth match-clinching victory of the spring.

Quotable

Head Coach Kevin Epley

“It was great to bounce back from the Auburn loss to get the win at Alabama. Alabama has had a difficult year, but they are a very strong program and always great at home, so we knew we were in for a fight. It was great to see Paige step up and go for it to clinch the match for us.”

Match Changer

Freshman Paige Cline forced a third set after dropping her first and came through to clinch the match for the Gamecocks.

Notables

The Gamecocks matched their best start through 21 matches since 2007.
This marks the first time South Carolina has won eight conference matches since 2007.
The win marks South Carolina’s first over Alabama since 2011.
Junior Brigit Folland swept her singles matches this weekend to move to 7-3 in SEC play, which ties sophomore Hadley Berg for the team’s best mark.
Junior Caroline Dailey and Folland improved to 6-4 in the SEC as a doubles tandem.
Dailey and Folland won both doubles matches this weekend and have won four of their last five overall.
Senior Ximena Siles Luna has won four of her last five matches.

Up Next

Carolina closes its regular season with four road matches. The Gamecocks are at No. 14 Auburn and No. 51 Alabama the weekend of April 8-10, before going to No. 63 Tennessee and No. 4 Georgia April 15-17.