Davies to Compete in ITA National Fall Championships Semifinals
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – South Carolina junior Megan Davies picked up a pair of wins on Friday on the third day of play at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships hosted at the Newport Beach Tennis Club.
Playing first in the Round of 16, No. 125 Davies faced off against No. 7-seeded and No. 79-ranked Shiori Fukuda of Ohio State. Davies dropped the first game, but then nailed a pair of aces to tie the first set, 1-1. The two continued to play back-and-forth with Davies claiming the first set, 6-4. In the second set, Davies allowed her seeded opponent only two games, winning the match, 6-4, 6-2, advancing to quarterfinals.
Next on court, No. 15-seeded and No. 49-ranked Mia Horvit took on UCLA’s No. 3-seeded and No. 9-ranked Jada Hart. Hart took the first set over Horvit, 6-3. In the second set, Horvit did not allow Hart a single game, blanking the Bruin, 6-0, forcing a third. Needing to get the third set to advance to Quarterfinals, Horvit dialed in, defeating Hart in a three-set decision, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
In her second match of the day, Davies had to get through California’s Haley Giavara for a spot in the Semifinals. Davies took care of business in the first set, taking it, 6-4. In the second set, Giavara would not go away, challenging Davies every step of the way, eventually winning the second set, 7-6 (6). Giavara then threatened Davies’ two-game lead in the final set, bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of the Gamecock. Davies earned two points on one shot when Giavara called the ball out, getting tabbed for an unsportsmanlike point penalty, which ended the match, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4, for Davies.
Seeing No. 8-seeded and No. 7-ranked Sara Daavettila in the Quarterfinals, Horvit battled with her North Carolina opponent for three sets. Ultimately, Daavettila came out on top, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
In doubles consolation, Silvia Chinellato and Emma Shelton fell to Auburn’s duo of Selin Ovunc and Taylor Russo, 6-3, 6-4.
Up next, Davies takes the court opposite of No. 6-seeded and No. 17-ranked Anna Turati of Texas at 1 p.m. ET.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The South Carolina women’s tennis team tallied five wins on day one of competition at the FSU All-Conference Showdown at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center.
Ana Luiza Cruz and Gabriela Martinez Asensi picked up two doubles wins, first downing Iowa State’s Maty Cancini and Christin Hsieh, 6-2. Cruz and Asensi nabbed another, 6-2, victory, this time coming against Mackenzy Middlebrooks and Sydney Riley from Clemson. The Gamecocks will compete for the Lori Junker doubles title opposite of Florida State’s Sasha Hill and Petra Hule on Saturday at 10:15 a.m. ET.
Elise Mills and Kendall Couch earned a win over Lucia Garrigues-Melendez and Margriet Timmermans of USF, 6-3. The pair then fell, 6-1, to Wisconsin’s duo of Melissa Pick and Miruna Tudor. Moving to the back draw, the Gamecocks ended with another win via walkover against McNeese State’s Dalia Ahmed and Sofia San Jose.
In singles, Asensi topped Furman’s Madison Dillon in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. She competes opposite of Clemson’s Ali Despain on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Cruz also ended the day with a singles win, defeating Southern Mississippi’s Kaite De La Gorza, 6-1, 6-4. On Saturday, Cruz takes the court against Middlebrooks.
Due to a rain delay, some singles matches were moved to Saturday morning. Mills will be one of the first matches on, competing with Amelie Boy from South Florida at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday. Couch was also rained out and will see Mary Hunter Hyche of Furman on Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.
Stay up to date with all tournament happenings on the team’s Twitter (@GamecockWTennis).
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