Gamecocks Storm Back to Upend Texas A&M 4-2

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The No. 22 South Carolina women’s tennis team stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat No. 36 Texas A&M on a chilly and windy Friday evening at Carolina Tennis Center in Columbia, S.C. After dropping the doubles point, the Gamecocks used straight-set singles victories from Mia Horvit, Megan Davies, Emma Shelton and Silvia Chinellato to overcome the Aggies. South Carolina improved to 7-4 and 3-0 in SEC play with the win, while Texas A&M dropped to 12-4 and 1-2 in the league.

Doubles Recap

Texas A&M jumped on the Gamecocks quickly in doubles, picking up two victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions in 6-0 fashion. Jessica Anzo and Renee McBryde won first on court two against No. 24 Silvia Chinellato and Emma Shelton, and then Dorthea Faa-Hviding and Lucia Quiterio sealed the point with their triumph over Gabriela Martinez and Elise Mills at three.

South Carolina’s No. 77-ranked duo of Mia Horvit and Megan Davies had a 3-2 advantage over No. 37 Jayci Goldsmith and Tatiana Makarova at the top position when played was suspended.

Singles Recap

Texas A&M took a 2-0 lead after getting a default win at No. 5 singles, but the Gamecocks took control on courts 1-4 to get the win. At two, No. 25 Megan Davies made short work of Jayci Goldsmith with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph to cut the deficit in half, and Silvia Chinellato knotted things up after holding off Katya Townsend, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 4. Mia Horvit, ranked 39th, then finished just a few seconds ahead of Emma Shelton to put South Carolina in the driver’s seat, 3-2, by upending No. 99 Tatiana Makarova on court one, 7-5, 6-3. Shelton won by a 7-5, 6-2 margin over No. 107 Dorthea Faa-Hviding at the third spot to complete the come-from-behind victory.

The remaining match at No. 6 singles was abandoned once the Gamecocks secured the win. Gabriela Martinez dropped a 6-4 decision to A&M’s Lucia Quiterio and the two were square at 2-2 in the second set before played stopped.

Notes

• Junior Megan Davies picked up her team-leading 23rd singles victory of the season, improving to 23-12 overall. Davies has won six of her last seven matches played to completion.
• Freshman Emma Shelton remains undefeated this spring with a perfect 11-0 record in dual matches and is 19-3 overall. She picked up the second ranked win of her career against No. 107 Dorthea Faa-Hviding.
• Senior Mia Horvit grabbed her ninth win of the season against a ranked opponent with a victory over No. 99 Tatiana Makarova.
• Senior Silvia Chinellato recorded her third win a row.
• South Carolina has now won four consecutive matches over Texas A&M after the Aggies won the first four upon joining the SEC in 2012-13. The Gamecocks have an 11-5 (.688) advantage in the all-time series.
• The Gamecocks are now 26-3 (.897) in regular-season SEC play since the 2018 season.
• Head coach Kevin Epley is now 286-125 (.696) in his 16th season as a head coach and 135-66 (.672) in his eighth season at South Carolina.

Up Next

Next on the docket for South Carolina is No. 25 LSU on Sunday at Carolina Tennis Center with an 11 a.m. start. LSU defeated No. 38 Florida, 4-2, on Friday in Gainesville, Fla., to improve to 10-2 this season and remain unbeaten in SEC play at 3-0.