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No. 11 South Carolina Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader
Women's Tennis  . 

No. 11 South Carolina Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader

Feb. 24, 2018

Doubleheader vs. UNF and CSU

COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 11 South Carolina women’s tennis (7-3) earned back-to-back sweeps over North Florida and Charleston Southern at the Carolina Tennis Center on Saturday.

The Gamecocks secured the doubles point in both matches, along with earning six singles victories in straight sets, to complete the sweeps. With the wins, the team improved to 10-0 all-time against North Florida and 4-0 all-time against Charleston Southern. The Gamecocks are 5-0 at home and have recorded four sweeps this season.

DOUBLES

The Gamecocks utilized three new doubles combinations in Saturday’s wins. Freshman Kennedy Wicker made her collegiate dual match doubles debut, earning a 6-2 win with partner Ingrid Gamarra Martins against Kinga Gartner and Valentina Mariotto of North Florida. All-American doubles duo Hadley Berg and Paige Cline secured the team point against North Florida with a quick 6-2 win over Rafaela Gomez and Luise Intert. With the win, Berg and Cline improved to 6-6 on the 2017-18 year and 3-2 in 2018 dual match play.

In the second match of the day, Gamarra Martins and Cline were paired together for the first time in 2018, but didn’t show it in their 6-1 win over Charleston Southern’s Sophie Cloessner and Madalina Man. Similarly, Mia Horvit and Berg were also paired for the first time in 2018. The duo cruised to a 6-1 win over Yana Morar and Kimberley Koener.

DOUBLES VS. NORTH FLORIDA

1. Hadley Berg / Paige Cline (SC) def. Rafaela Gomez/Luise Intert (UNF) 6-2

2. Rachel Rohrabacher / Megan Davies (SC) vs. Eva Nyikos/Lucia Montaño (UNF) 5-2, unfinished

3. Ingrid Gamarra Martins / Kennedy Wicker (SC) def. Kinga Gartner/Valentina Mariotto (UNF) 6-2

Order of finish

1, 3

DOUBLES VS. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

1. Ingrid Gamarra Martins / Paige Cline (SC) def. Sophie Cloessner/Madalina Man (CSU) 6-1

2. Rachel Rohrabacher / Megan Davies (SC) vs. Valeria Koussenkova/ Filippa Ericson(CSU) 4-3, unfinished

3. Mia Horvit / Hadley Berg (SC) def. Yana Morar/ Kimberley Koerner(CSU) 6-1

Order of finish

3, 1

SINGLES

The Gamecocks dominated in singles, earning six overall victories in straight sets in both matches. Junior Paige Cline had an impressive day, earning her first two singles victories of 2018, including a perfect 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Charleston Southern’s Kimberley Koerner. After losing two straight matches at ITA Indoors, sophomore All-American Mia Horvit garnered two straight singles victories, defeating North Florida’s Eva Nyikos, 6-1, 6-1 and Charleston Southern’s Filippa Ericson, 6-0, 6-2. Ingrid Gamarra Martins earned a 6-1, 6-1 win over North Florida, improving her 2018 dual match record to 5-1. Megan Davies clinched the second match of the day for the Gamecocks with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Charleston Southern’s Yana Morar.

SINGLES VS. NORTH FLORIDA

1. Hadley Berg (SC) vs. Rafaela Gomez (UNF) 2-6, 3-1, unfinished

2. Mia Horvit (SC) def. Eva Nyikos (UNF) 6-1, 6-1

3. Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC) def. Lucia Montaño (UNF) 6-1, 6-1

4. Rachel Rohrabacher (SC) vs. Valentina Mariotto (UNF) 7-5, 1-0, unfinished

5. Megan Davies (SC) vs. Luise Intert (UNF) 3-6, 0-1, unfinished

6. Paige Cline (SC) def. Kinga Gartner (UNF) 6-2, 6-1

Order of finish

3, 6, 2

SINGLES VS. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

1. #45 Hadley Berg (SC) vs. Sophie Cloessner (CSU) 6-4, 4-1, unfinished

2.#124 Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC) vs. Valeria Koussenkova (CSU) 6-2, 1-6, 2-0, unfinished

3. Mia Horvit (SC) def. Filippa Ericson (CSU) 6-0, 6-2

4. Rachel Rohrabacher (SC) vs. Madalina Man (CSU) 7-5, 3-1, unfinished

5. Paige Cline (SC) def. Kimberley Koerner (CSU) 6-0, 6-0

6. Megan Davies (SC) def. Yana Morar (CSU) 6-0, 6-4

Order of finish

5, 3, 6

QUOTABLE

“We are trying some different doubles combinations and trying to hone in on what we are going to put together going into next the SEC stretch. We saw some good things today, but we’re hoping we can get a great day across the board tomorrow.” — Head Coach Kevin Epley

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

  • Saturday’s sweep of Charleston Southern marked the third straight for South Carolina. Its last two sweeps against the Ospreys came on Feb. 23, 2013, with a 5-0 win at home, and on Feb. 9, 2014 with a 7-0 win at home.
  • Saturday’s sweep marked the sixth straight for the Gamecocks against North Florida. The sweep streak against the Ospreys dates back to 1989, and the Gamecocks’ overall 10-match winning streak dates back to 1985.
  • Cline’s two singles victories were her first of the 2018 campaign. Her perfect 6-0, 6-0 win over Charleston Southern’s Kimberley Koerner was the second perfect win of the season for South Carolina. Freshman Megan Davies registered the first against Clemson’s Constanza Gorches on Feb. 1.
  • While both of Berg’s matches went unfinished Saturday, her 15-2 singles record this season has her at 89-29 overall for her career, with a winning percentage of .761 that ranks sixth in school history.
  • With Saturday’s sweeps, head coach Kevin Epley is now nine match wins away from reaching 100 at South Carolina and is eight wins from 250 overall on his career.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

The Gamecocks will host Coastal Carolina in their last nonconference match of the regular season at 11 a.m. Sunday. Following that match, the team will open SEC play at Mississippi State on March 1 and at No. 3 Ole Miss on March 3.

SCOUTING COASTAL CAROLINA

  • The Gamecocks own a 3-0 all-time series lead against Coastal Carolina, dating back to March 11, 1991. All three of those wins — 8-0 in 1991, 7-0 in 2016 and 4-0 in 2017 — were sweeps.
  • The Chanticleers are 6-3 this season and currently own a four-match win streak, including victories over ECU, St. John’s, North Carolina A&T and Wofford.
  • The last time these two squads met was on March 19, 2017, in South Carolina’s 4-0 victory at the Carolina Tennis Center. In the match, the Gamecocks captured the doubles point, while Silvia Chinellato defeated Marie Babayan, 6-2 , 6-1, Hadley Berg defeated Sara Bondar, 6-2 , 6-0, and Brigit Folland defeated Romane Delay, 6-1 , 6-1, in singles.
  • Coastal Carolina’s roster is composed of two freshmen, three sophomores, one junior and three seniors.
  • The No. 11 Gamecocks are the first ranked opponent this season for the Chanticleers, who have faced Furman, UNC Wilmington, Georgia State, Emory, Campbell, Wofford, North Carolina A&T, St. John’s and ECU so far.
  • South Carolina alum Catherine Hewitt is in her sixth season as head coach of the Chanticleers. Hewitt played with the Gamecocks from 2000-2003, finishing her collegiate career with a 43-34 singles record and a 61-47 doubles record. She is tied for 10th on the program season doubles wins list for her 16-7 record in 2000-01. She is also tied for fourth on the SEC regular-season doubles wins list for her 7-4 record in 2001.

For updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).

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