Women's Tennis Opens 2017 Season with Road Match Sunday

Jan. 13, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 16th-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team opens its 2017 season with a road match Sunday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. The Gamecocks will travel to Greenville, S.C. to take on the Furman Paladins at the Minor Herndon Mickel Tennis Center.

“We may have the strongest schedule in the nation. We really want to get a read on where we stand after a long break and against a strong Furman team,” said head coach Kevin Epley about this weekend’s matchup. “We feel like we have some unfinished business from last year and are anxious to get wrapped up in competition again.”

Carolina finished last season ranked No. 17 after going 19-8 overall and hosting NCAA regionals for the first time since 2002.

Six of the Gamecocks’ singles players will start the season ranked, the most in program history. Ingrid Gamarra Martins headlines the Gamecocks ranked No. 16 after finishing her freshman campaign with four ranked victories and a 23-11 singles record. Three underclasswomen, freshmen Mia Horvit (No. 62) and Silvia Chinellato (No. 100), and sophomore Paige Cline (No. 72.) also made the list of ranked singles. Seniors Brigit Folland and Caroline Dailey close out the rankings with Folland at No. 122 and Dailey tied at No. 125.

QUICK HITS: FURMAN

• The Paladins went 15-9 in the 2016 season and won the Southern Conference regular season championship with a 7-0 mark in league play.
• Furman returned five players from last season.
• Senior Ansley Speaks was named the 2016 Southern Conference Player of the Year.
• Head coach Adam Herendeen enters his second season with the Paladins.

Up Next

Following Sunday’s action, the Gamecocks prepare to travel to Jacksonville, Fla. for a doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 21. The Gamecocks will square off with North Florida at 12 p.m. and Florida A&M at 3 p.m.