South Carolina Heads to Jacksonville for Doubleheader
Jan. 20, 2017
COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 16 South Carolina women’s tennis travels to Jacksonville, Fla. for a double header against North Florida and Florida A&M Saturday, Jan. 21 at the UNF Tennis Complex. The Gamecocks are coming off of a 6-1 win against Furman from the previous weekend and are preparing for the ITA Kick-off Weekend next week.
Quotable
Head Coach Kevin Epley: “We feel pretty good after the first week of the season. Furman was a little tougher than we anticipated, but we are ready to get out to Florida and see some of the other girls who didn’t get to play. We’re really trying to lay the foundation for the rest of the season early on. We’re focusing on some of the day-to-day variables we can control and setting the stage for success later in the season. We’re really going to see how hard they compete and how much they commit to the game. These matches are just another early indicator of where we are as a team. “
Quick Hits: North Florida
- Senior Michelle Valdez is ranked No. 28, her highest ranking, and earned ASUN first team honors for the second straight season last year.
- The Ospreys are coming off their fifth ASUN Tournament Championship in seven years.
- The teams last met at the South Carolina Fall Invitational in September 2016.
- Head coach Mariana Cobra enters her first season with the Ospreys.
- The Gamecocks have won the doubles point in 11-of-14 matches this spring, posting a 2-1 record when dropping the point.
Quick Hits: Florida A&M
- The Rattlers made it to the MEAC championship match, losing to SC State 4-0.
- Florida A&M’s team is made up with three juniors and five sophomores.
- They are led by head coach Rochelle Goldthreate
Up Next
Following Saturday’s doubleheader, the Gamecocks prepare to travel to Lubbock, Texas for the ITA Kick-off Weekend..
