No. 10 South Carolina Bests No. 30 Tennessee, 4-1
March 16, 2018
No. 10 South Carolina at No. 30 Tennessee
Knoxville, Tenn. — No. 10 South Carolina women’s tennis (13-3, 5-0 SEC) kept rolling in SEC play with a 4-1 victory at No. 30 Tennessee on Friday.
The Gamecocks earned their eighth straight win by capturing their eighth straight doubles point, along with singles victories on Courts 1, 5 and 6. No. 110 Ingrid Gamarra Martins, Rachel Rohrabacher and No. 121 Megan Davies all won their matches in straight sets. No. 29 Hadley Berg‘s singles loss on Court 2 gave up the lone team point for the Gamecocks.
DOUBLES
Megan Davies and Rachel Rohrabacher remain undefeated when paired together in 2018 after a dominant 6-0 win over Johanna Silva and Gabby Schuck on Court 3. The duo is 9-0 in 2018 and has not surrendered a doubles game since March 9 with two straight 6-0 match victories.
For the first time in SEC play this season, the Gamecocks lost a doubles match against the Vols. Paige Cline and Hadley Berg fell to No. 69 Kaitlin Staines and Ariadna Riley on Court 1. The All-Americans’ three-match win streak at No. 1 doubles was snapped with the loss.
With the point coming down to Court 2, Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Mia Horvit buckled down against Elizabeth Profit and Sadie Hammond. The South Carolina tandem took a quick 2-0 lead before Profit and Hammond tied the score at 2-2. Gamarra Martins and Horvit leaned momentum back in the Gamecocks’ favor with a 3-2 lead and took control from there en route to their fifth straight doubles win together this season.
DOUBLES
1. #69 Kaitlin Staines/Ariadna Riley (UT) def. Paige Cline / Hadley Berg (SC) 6-0
2. Ingrid Gamarra Martins / Mia Horvit (SC) def. Elizabeth Profit/Sadie Hammond (UT) 6-2
3. Megan Davies / Rachel Rohrabacher (SC) def. Johanna Silva/Gabby Schuck (UT) 6-0
Order of finish
3, 1, 2
SINGLES
Ingrid Gamarra Martins earned her first win at No. 1 singles this season, besting Ariadna Riley in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. The South Carolina junior is 8-1 in dual match play and holds a five-match winning streak.
Rachel Rohrabacher continued to excel at No. 6 singles, helping the Gamecocks take a 3-0 lead over the Vols. Rohrabacher improved to 8-0 in 2018 singles play with a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) win over Chelsea Sawyer. The South Carolina junior jumped out to a commanding 5-1 lead in the first set, but Sawyer fought back in the second and took Rohrabacher all the way to a tiebreaker, which Rohrabacher got the best of 8-6.
No. 29 Hadley Berg‘s four-match winning streak was snapped on Court 2 with her loss to Elizabeth Profit, who won, 6-3, 7-5. Prior to Friday’s match, the last time Berg lost to an unranked opponent was on Oct. 20, 2017 against Claudia Wiktorin of NC State.
Megan Davies clinched the win for the Gamecocks with a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win on Court 5. Similar to Rohrabacher on Court 6, Davies cruised to victory in the first set, but had to make a comeback in a hard-fought second set that resulted in a tiebreaker. Davies swept the tie breaker, 6-0, and improved to 9-3 in dual match play this season with the win. The freshman has won three straight and is 8-2 over her last 10 singles matches.
SINGLES
1. #110 Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SC) def. Ariadna Riley (UT) 6-2, 6-2
2. Elizabeth Profit (UT) def. #29 Hadley Berg (SC) 6-3, 7-5
3. Gabby Schuck (UT) vs. Mia Horvit (SC) 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
4. Kaitlin Staines (UT) vs. Paige Cline (SC) 6-2, 2-6, 5-3, unfinished
5. #121 Megan Davies (SC) def. Johanna Silva (UT) 6-3, 7-6 (6-0)
6. Rachel Rohrabacher (SC) def. Chelsea Sawyer (UT) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
Order of finish
1, 6, 2, 5
QUOTABLE
GAMECOCK NOTABLES
- The Gamecocks have taken the doubles point in eight straight matches this season.
- Rohrabacher and Davies lead the Gamecocks at 9-0 in 2018 doubles play (8-0 dual match play).
- With the win, South Carolina is 5-2 against ranked opponents this season, including wins at No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 11 Texas, No. 35 Texas A&M, No. 36 LSU and No. 30 Tennessee.
- Prior to Friday’s match, the last time Hadley Berg lost to an unranked opponent was on Oct. 20, 2017 against Claudia Wiktorin of NC State.
- While she lost her singles match at No. 2 singles on Friday, Berg’s 19-4 singles record this season has her at 93-31 overall, seven wins shy of 100 on her career, with a winning percentage of .750 that ranks seventh in school history. Berg has surpassed Brigit Folland on the career list for singles wins with 93. She is looking to become just the fourth player in school history with 100 wins.
- South Carolina is now 21-26 all-time against Tennessee and holds a four-match winning streak over the Vols dating back to a 4-3 home win on April 10, 2015.
- Rohrabacher is 8-0 in 2018 singles play and holds a 10-match winning streak dating back to Jan. 14, 2018 at Florida Gulf Coast University.
- The Gamecocks are 4-1 on the road this season and are 3-0 in SEC road paly.
- Head Coach Kevin Epley is now three match wins away from reaching 100 at South Carolina and is two wins from 250 overall on his career.
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks will continue their SEC road trip with a Top 10 matchup at No. 7 Georgia on March 18. The Gamecocks are 15-46 all-time against Georgia and are seeking their first win over the Bulldogs since April 23, 2010.
Following Sunday’s Top 10 match, the Gamecocks will travel to Auburn on March 22 and Alabama on March 24 for their last away matches of the regular season. The team is 27-9 all-time against the Tigers, but lost the past three meetings with the team. The last time the Gamecocks defeated Auburn was on Feb. 27, 2015, at the Carolina Tennis Center. Their last road win against Auburn was on April 1, 2012. South Carolina holds a 16-12 all-time record against the Tide, including a two-match winning streak dating back to April 10, 2016. The Gamecocks will return to the Carolina Tennis Center on March 29 when they open a five-match SEC home stand against Missouri.
For updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).
