Gamecocks Earn 5-2 Road Win
Columbia, Mo. – No. 45 South Carolina took down Missouri in a 5-2 outcome on Sunday. The Gamecocks quickly secured the doubles point and went on to win three singles matches to remain undefeated by the Tigers all-time.
With only five players available on the Missouri squad, two doubles matches got underway. At the top of the lineup, Megan Davies and Sarah Hamner went right to work to efficiently take down their Tiger opponents 6-1 and claim the doubles point. In the No. 2 spot, Ayana Akli and Ana Cruz led 4-1 when play was suspended.
Headed into singles, the Gamecocks led 2-0 due to the absence of a match in the No. 6 spot. On Court 2, No. 66 Akli controlled her match from the get-go. She blanked her Tiger opponent 6-0 in the first set and cruised to a 6-1 second set victory to put South Carolina ahead 3-0. With the win, Akli brought her winning streak in singles to three.
Missouri got on the board next with a win in the No. 4 spot, but South Carolina would soon decide the fate of the match. Graduate student Davies built a steady lead in her first set on her way to a 6-3 win. The second set was a close battle and reached four games all until Davies pushed through to take the set 6-4. The win marked Davies’ second match clinch this season.
Play continued on the remaining courts and No. 2 Hamner was next to finish. After taking the first set 6-4 and dropping the second set 6-3, Hamner pulled ahead 5-1 in the final set. Her Missouri opponent came back to win the next two games, but Hamner prevailed to earn the fifth and final point for South Carolina.
On the last court, Misa Malkin played a competitive match in the No. 5 spot. She dropped the first set 6-2 but fought back from an 0-3 deficit in the second set to force a tiebreak. Ultimately, Missouri came out on top 7-6 (6) to earn the last point in the match.
South Carolina will return to Columbia ahead of its home matches against Mississippi State on Friday, March 25 at 5 p.m. and Ole Miss on Sunday, March 27 at noon.
(45) South Carolina def. Missouri 5-2
Doubles (Order of Finish: 1*)
1. Megan Davies/Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Bronte Murgett/Emelie Schwarte (MIZ) 6-1
2. Ayana Akli/Ana Cruz (SC) vs. Gabriela Martinez/Ellie Wright (MIZ) 4-1 DNF
Singles (Order of Finish: 2, 4, 3*, 1, 5)
1. No. 2 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Bronte Murgett (MIZ) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
2. No. 66 Ayana Akli (SC) def. Elys Ventura (MIZ) 6-0, 6-1
3. Megan Davies (SC) def. Ellie Wright (MIZ) 6-3, 6-4
4. Emelie Schwarte (MIZ) def. No. 85 Elise Mills (SC)
5. Gabriela Martinez (MIZ) def. Misa Malkin (SC) 6-2, 7-6 (6)
