April 20, 2016
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — On the heels of one of the most successful seasons since joining the SEC, South Carolina women’s tennis will begin play in the SEC Tournament on Thurs., April 21, at 3 p.m. ET in Baton Rouge, La. The Gamecocks (17-6, 9-4) enter the tournament as the No. 5 seed and will take on 12th-seeded Ole Miss (13-10, 3-10), which won a tight 4-3 contest over 13th-seeded Tennessee in the first round Wednesday.
South Carolina split a pair of road matches to close out the regular season tied for fourth in the SEC. Carolina swept Tennessee, 7-0, on Friday before dropping a hard-fought contest to then-No. 3 Georgia on Sunday. The Gamecocks matched a program-high with nine SEC wins this season, a benchmark previously set in 1996. The Gamecocks’ 17 regular-season wins is their most since 1995.
The Gamecocks defeated Ole Miss, 4-1, in Oxford on March 20. The victory moved Carolina to 6-0 in the SEC for the first time in program history. The Gamecocks swept doubles at No. 1 and No. 2 before wins by freshmen Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Paige Cline and sophomore Hadley Berg clinched the victory. The Rebels’ only point was scored at No. 1 singles.
Quotable
Head Coach Kevin Epley: “We are going to approach this the same way we will approach the NCAA Tournament. We want to make sure we are bringing the best of us. We still think that we have more in the tank. We have had some good wins this year, but we really feel like we can play better. That’s what we are shooting for. Every team in this tournament is so tough. We had our hands full with every SEC team this year, so we have to take it one match at a time.”
History in the SEC Tournament
The Gamecocks are competing in their 25th SEC Tournament this season and own an all time record of 20-24. The Gamecocks have reached the championship match on one occasion (2002) and the semifinals four times (1995, 1999, 2002, 2010). Carolina has competed in at least the quarterfinals all but five times (1993, 2004, 2008, 2013, 2015) as well. The Gamecocks suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Mississippi State in the second round of the tournament last year.
In The Rankings
South Carolina remained at No. 11 in the ITA Rankings for the second-consecutive week. The Gamecocks have been ranked as high as No. 8 this season, marking their highest ranking since 1983, and spent a program-first five straight weeks in the Top 10. Junior Caroline Dailey leads the Gamecocks in the individual rankings at No. 71, while Martins is ranked No. 80 and Cline No. 110. The squad’s top doubles team of Cline and Berg remained in the top 25 for the third-straight week at No. 25.
Quick Hits
- The Gamecocks are one win from matching the most wins in a season under head coach Kevin Epley.
- With her win at then-No. 3 Georgia last Sunday, junior Brigit Folland became just the fourth Gamecock to earn nine SEC singles victories in a season.
- The Gamecocks are 15-2 when winning the doubles point and 2-4 when dropping doubles.
- Folland and sophomore Hadley Berg have been key from the No. 4 and 5 positions, combining for a 32-9 singles record this spring, including 16-7 in the SEC.
- At 7-4 in the SEC, doubles tandem Hadley Berg and Paige Cline is tied for South Carolina’s single-season SEC wins record at No. 1 doubles.
Scouting No. 40 Ole Miss
- The Rebels are 6-5 away from home this season and 1-7 versus nationally ranked opponents.
- Ole Miss has won the doubles point in nine of 19 matches this season.
- Ranked in singles: Arianne Hartono (29), Natalie Suk (84), Mai El Kamash (103)
- Ranked in doubles: Hartono/El Kamash (27)
Up Next
A victory would move South Carolina into the quarterfinals to take on fourth-seeded Auburn on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.
