Women's Tennis . April 6, 2023

Mulville Achieves New Career High Singles Win in Loss to Georgia

Athens, Ga. – No. 27 South Carolina women’s tennis fell 1-4 at No. 5 Georgia on Thursday. The Gamecocks put up a valiant effort in doubles but ultimately dropped the point and were only able to get one singles win recorded before Georgia clinched the match.

Doubles were a close battle with the Bulldogs striking first. The nation’s No. 50 pair of Mell Reasco and Meg Kowalski earned the first win of the day with a 6-2 victory at the No. 2 position. The Gamecocks were quick to even the decision with No. 48 Ayana Akli and Sarah Hamner earning a win of their own in a 7-6(4) tiebreak from the top spot in the lineup.

The decision came down to the No. 3 doubles matchup where Ana Cruz and Allie Gretkowski were taking on No. 40 Guillermina Grant and Mai Nirundorn. The Georgia pair got off to a hot start with a 2-0 lead, but the Gamecocks responded with authority, taking the next five games to lead 5-2. The Gamecocks just couldn’t seem to close the match out and the Bulldogs came back to win the next four games to retake the lead 6-5. Cruz and Gretkowski finally managed to take another game to tie it at six all and send the match to a tiebreak.

In the tiebreak, Georgia again jumped out to a 2-0 start, but the Gamecocks tied things up at two all. Georgia claimed the next four points and only allowed South Carolina’s pair one more point before taking the win 7-6(3) to clinch the doubles point.

Play moved to singles where the Bulldogs quickly increased their lead. No. 9 Dasha Vidmanova defeated No. 19 Hamner 6-1, 6-2 to claim the first singles point of the day.

The next point came from neighboring Court 3 where Gracie Mulville was able to put the Gamecocks on the board. The sophomore defeated No. 56 Reasco in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 for the highest ranked win of her career. Her previous high was a win over No. 60 Bridget Stammel of Vanderbilt that came in three sets.

Court 6 was the next to clear with Grant defeating freshman Alice Otis 6-2, 7-5 and Georgia clinched the match shortly afterwards with No. 125 Kowalski defeating senior Elise Mills 7-6(4), 6-2.

Sophomore Misa Malkin was leading No. 72 Anastasiia Lopata 6-3, 5-6 and No. 8 Ayana Akli has split sets with No. 3 Lea Ma 6-3, 4-6 when play was suspended.

The women’s tennis team will continue SEC play on the road with a trip to Knoxville to take on No. 15 Tennessee on Sunday. The match will begin at noon.

For all the latest South Carolina women’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).

#5 Georgia 4, #27 South Carolina 1

Doubles (order of finish: 2, 1, 3)

#48 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Ania Hertel/Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) 7-6 (7-4)
#50 Meg Kowalski/Mell Reasco (UGA) def. Gracie Mulville/Elise Mills (SC) 6-2
#40 Guillermina Grant/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Allie Gretkowski/Ana Cruz (SC) 7-6 (7-3)

Singles (order of finish: 2, 3, 6, 5)