Akli, Lancelot Perfect Through Carolina Kickoff
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina women’s tennis completed action at the Carolina Kickoff on Monday with the team going a perfect 3-0 in doubles matches and 5-2 in singles matches on the final day of competition.
Graduate Ayana Akli and junior Olympe Lancelot highlighted the weekend with both Gamecocks going 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles together at the event.
In doubles on Monday, the duo started their day by defeating Wisconsin’s Taylor Cataldi and Maria Sholokhova 6-3 before both Gamecocks went on to record singles wins – Akli’s in a 6-2, 6-3 result and Lancelot’s in a marathon 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 match that lasted just shy of three hours.
Also with a doubles win on the day was the duo of juniors Sarah Hamner and Misa Malkin. Together they took down Wisconsin’s Xinyu Cai and Kaja Jacobson 6-4 and in singles Hamner tallied a 7-6(3), 6-1 win while Malkin completed a three-set come-from-behind win 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.
South Carolina’s third doubles win of the day came from graduates Elise Mills and Shahar Biran where they came out on the better side of a tiebreak 7-6(3). Mills later went on to record a comeback singles win, topping Wake Forest’s Mia Ahmad 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The Gamecocks will now move on to the dual season, starting it next weekend with a doubleheader against Coastal Carolina and Presbyterian. Both matches will be played on Sunday, Jan. 21 with the match against the Chanticleers at noon and against the Blue Hose at 4:00 p.m.
For all the latest South Carolina women’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).
Day 3 Results
Singles
(6) Ayana Akli (SC) def. Brooke Killingsworth (WF) 6-2, 6-3
(4) Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Marcella Cruz (WF) 7-6(3), 6-1
Nevena Carton (WF) def. (76) Shahar Biran (SC) 6-4, 6-2
Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Whitley Pate (WF) 6-2, 5-7, 7-5
Misa Malkin (SC) def. Sankavi Gownder (WF) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
Elise Mills (SC) def. Mia Ahmad (WF) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
Jingyi Li (WF) def. Anna Kantor (SC) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles
Ayana Akli/Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Taylor Cataldi/Maria Sholokhova (WISC) 6-3
Sarah Hamner/Misa Malkin (SC) def. Xinyu Cai/Kaja Jacobson (WISC) 6-4
Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SC) def. Ariel Johnson/Rosie Garcia Gross (WISC) 7-6(3)
