Gamecocks Claim Nine Wins on Day One of Kitty Harrison
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The South Carolina women’s tennis team picked up nine wins on the first day of competition at the Kitty Harrison Invitational hosted by North Carolina at the Kone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
Facing NC State In the first round of doubles, Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Silvia Chinellato edged by Amanda Rebol and Adriana Reami, 7-5. Paige Cline and Kennedy Wicker won their match, 6-3, against Liz Norman and Bianca Moldovan. Megan Davies and Rachel Rohrabacher faced Alana Smith and Anna Rogers of NC State, who they defeated at ITA Carolina Regional Championship, but roles reversed with the Gamecocks falling, 6-1.
“It rained again (Friday) so we went indoors and while we got some wins in doubles, I don’t think we were ever really in sync, so hoping to improve (Saturday) in some areas,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “Old Dominion was very solid in singles and they stretched us quite a bit, but fortunately we were able to hang in there and eke out some close matches. We look forward to another day of competition (Saturday).”
In its second round of doubles, Carolina took the courts opposite of Penn State. Davies and Chinellato paired up for a, 7-5, win over Samantha Smith and Shannon Hanley. No. 20-ranked Gamarra Martins and Horvit also earned a 7-5 win over Frederikke Svarre and Chelsea Sawyer. Cline and Wicker claimed their second win of the day after topping a mixed doubles team of NC State’s Dylan Cannon and Penn State’s Gracey Hirsch, 7-6 (2).
Ending the day with singles against Old Dominion, the Gamecocks took wins on four of the six courts. No. 45 Gamarra Martins rallied for a, 6-7, 6-4, 11-9, victory after dropping her first set to No. 123 Holly Hutchinson. Cline topped her ranked opponent of No. 107 Yulia Starodubtseva in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (6). No. 81 Davies added to Carolina’s win total with a defeat of Oleksandra Andrieieva, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Rounding out the Gamecocks’ day, Chinellato earned a 7-6 (2), 6-3, victory over Brooke Pilkington.
No. 96 Horvit fought back after dropping her first set, but was not able to overcome Nataliia Vlasova, losing, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7. Wicker fell in her match, 7-6 (6), 6-3, against Natalya Malenko.
Competition starts back up on Saturday at 9 a.m., with doubles against Maryland, followed by singles opposite of Virginia at 10:30 a.m.
Day 1 Results
Doubles vs. NC State
Gamarra Martins/Chinellato (USC) def. Rebol/Reami (NCST) 7-5
Cline/Wicker (USC) def. Norman/Moldovan (NCST) 6-3
Smith/Rogers (NCST) def. Davies/Rohrabacher (USC) 6-1
Doubles vs. Penn State
Davies/Chinellato (USC) def. Smith/Hanley (PSU) 7-5
#20 Gamarra Martins/Horvit (USC) def. Svarre/Sawyer (PSU) 7-5
Cline/Wicker (USC) def. Hirsch/Cannon (PSU/NCST) 7-6 (2)
Singles vs. Old Dominion
#45 Gamarra Martins (USC) def. #123 Hutchinson (ODU) 6-7 (4), 6-4, 11-9
Cline (USC) def. #107 Starodubtseva (ODU) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Vlasova (ODU) def. #96 Horvit (USC) 6-4, 2-6, 10-7
#81 Davies (USC) def. Andrieieva (ODU) 7-6 (4), 6-1
Chinellato (USC) def. Pilkington (ODU) 7-6 (2), 6-3
Malenko (ODU) def. Wicker (USC) 7-6 (6), 6-3
