Gamecocks Blank Alabama, 4-0

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 30-ranked South Carolina (6-4, 2-0 SEC) women’s tennis team blanked Alabama (11-4, 0-2 SEC), 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility.
 
With their sweep on SEC opening weekend, the Gamecocks have now started SEC play perfectly for three-straight years.
 
“This was a very productive weekend for the team,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “We have been working very hard this entire year to get to a place where we compete with the appropriate toughness and discipline – while we thought we moved the ball in the right direction against Auburn, we really hit on all cylinders (Sunday). Alabama always fights hard and we knew they wouldn’t give up, so we had to look to close the door when we got up and that’s exactly what we did.”
 
Coming out quickly in doubles, No. 56 Megan Davies and Mia Horvit defeated Sasha Gorchanyuk and Alba Cortina Pou, 6-2, on court one. At the No. 2 spot, No. 12 Silvia Chinellato and Emma Shelton earned their fifth-consecutive victory, topping Isabella Harvison and Ares Teixido, 6-3.
 
Needing only three points to clinch in singles, Chinellato was off the court in under an hour, taking down Gorchanyuk in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
 
At the No. 3 position, No. 125 Shelton won her 10th match in-a-row after beating Teixido, 6-3, 6-1, and putting the Gamecocks up, 3-0.
 
With just one point left to clinch, No. 20-ranked Davies came out on top over Cortina Pou, 6-1, 6-1, on court two, claiming the overall match for South Carolina, 4-0.
 
Up next, Carolina hosts a pair of SEC opponents in No. 27 Texas A&M and No. 36 LSU on Friday at 5 p.m. ET and Sunday at 12 p.m. ET, respectively.
 
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