No. 10 Gamecocks Down Mississippi State, 4-1
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Kennedy Wicker clinched the second match of her career in Carolina’s, 4-1, victory over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon at the Carolina Tennis Center.
After being delayed due to weather, the No. 10 Gamecocks (6-2, 1-0 SEC) came out ready to play their SEC opener against the Bulldogs (9-3, 0-1 SEC).
“You don’t tip toe into the SEC,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “This was a standard SEC match where girls are fighting for their lives. Mississippi State, credit to them, they fought very, very hard and they really made it a match towards the end. I’m proud of our girls for stepping up and getting it done. Particularly of Kennedy because she clinched for us. Huge for her to clinch for the second time in her career.”
Starting things off in doubles, the No. 2-ranked pair of Ingrid Gamarra Martins and Mia Horvit went down early, 2-0, to Magda Adaloglou and Tamara Racine on court one. After falling behind, Gamarra Martins and Horvit claimed six-straight games against the Bulldogs, winning 6-2.
On court two, Paige Cline and Silvia Chinellato were not able to top Emma Antonaki and Anastasia Rentouli, dropping their match, 6-4.
With only one match left, all eyes were on court three. Originally down, 3-1, the duo of Megan Davies and Wicker won three-consecutive games, taking a, 4-3, lead opposite of Sara Lizariturry and Janina Braun. The Bulldogs then came back to tie it at 4-4. Davies and Wicker turned on the jets, not allowing the Bulldogs a single point in the last two games, winning the match, 6-4, and putting their team up, 1-0, with the doubles point.
Playing at the top spot for Carolina in singles, No. 10 Gamarra Martins cruised to a quick, 6-1, 6-2, victory over No. 89 Adalaglou, extending the lead, 2-0.
At the No. 4 spot, Davies stretched the Gamecocks’ lead, 3-0, with a straight-set win. Davies took down Mississippi State’s Racine in the first set, 6-3, and then only allowed the Bulldog one game in the second set, claiming her match, 6-3, 6-1.
No. 38 Cline went toe-to-toe with No. 104 Antonaki, but ultimately fell to the Bulldog, 7-5, 7-5, at the No. 2 position, making the score 3-1.
With two matches playing third sets, Wicker was fighting for a straight-set victory on court six. After claiming her first set over Lizariturry in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (4), Wicker took control of the second set. With a, 3-2, lead in her second set, Wicker did not look back, topping the Bulldog, 7-6 (4), 6-2, and clinching the match for South Carolina, 4-1.
Next, the Gamecocks take on Ole Miss on Sunday at 9 a.m., at the Carolina Tennis Center.
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