Gamecocks Make Impact on Day One of ITA Carolina Regionals
WINSTON-SALEM, S.C. – South Carolina competed in day one of the ITA Carolina Regionals in which junior Ana Cruz advanced to the singles main draw. The Gamecocks also went undefeated on the day in doubles.
Ana Cruz, seeded No. 7, faced Lana Sipek of rival Clemson to start the day. Cruz fell 5-7 in the first set but quickly came back to take the second set 6-3. She then topped Sipek with a 6-3 third set win to advance to the qualifying round of 32.
Cruz then faced Charleston Southern’s Noa Boyd. The first set was closely contested, but Cruz bested Boyd 7-5. From there she settled in and defeated Boyd with a 6-2 second set win to advance to the main draw of the tournament.
Junior Elise Mills took on Erika Didridge of App State in her first singles match. Mills won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to advance in the qualifying draw. In her second match of the day, she faced College of Charleston’s Halli Trinkle who came out on top and prevented Mills from advancing to the main draw.
In doubles, each match consisted of an eight-game pro set. Kendall Couch and Lindsay Tulenko got things started in the doubles main A1 draw for South Carolina with an 8-5 win over Clemson’s Makayla Mills and Lana Sipek. Not far behind were Allie Gretkowski and Ayana Akli who bested their Charleston Southern foes Laura Marti and Madalina Man 8-4.
In the doubles main A2 draw, doubles pair Misa Malkin and Elise Mills took down Hind Semlali and Lasya Parnaik of South Carolina State 8-6. In similar fashion, Ana Cruz and Gracie Mulville closed out the night for the Gamecocks with an 8-6 win over College of Charleston’s Slade Coetzee and Halli Trinkle.
The Gamecocks will continue to compete in the regional event on Friday with main draw singles and doubles action.
Day 1 Results
Singles
Elise Mills (SC) def. Erika Dodridge (APP) 6-4, 6-4
Halli Trinkle (CofC) def. Elise Mills (SC) 6-4, 6-3
Ana Cruz (SC) def. Lana Sipek (CU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
Ana Cruz (SC) def. Noa Boyd (CSU) 7-5, 6-2
Ellie Schulson (FU) def. Lindsay Tulenko (SC) 6-1, 6-3
Madalina Man (CSU) def. Lindsay Tulenko (SC) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
Kendall Couch/Chloe Narboni (SC) def. Makayla Mills/Lana Sipek (CU) 8-5
Allie Gretkowski/Ayana Akli (SC) def. Laura Marti/Madalina Man (CSU) 8-4
Misa Malkin/Elise Mills (SC) def. Hind Semlali/Lasya Parnaik (SCSU) 8-6
Ana Cruz/Gracie Mulville (SC) def. Slade Coetzee/Halli Trinkle (CofC) 8-6
