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Women’s Tennis Falls to No. 4 Georgia
Women's Tennis  . 

Women’s Tennis Falls to No. 4 Georgia

Clemson, S.C. – ­ South Carolina women’s tennis dropped its second-round match at the ITA Kickoff Weekend on Saturday to No. 4 Georgia 1-4. Graduate Ayana Akli was the lone Gamecock to put a point on the board with her win over No. 35 Alexandra Vecic.

The match, originally scheduled to be played outdoors in Athens, was delayed due to weather and with no indoor courts available, the match was moved to Clemson, S.C. and played at the Duckwork Family Tennis Center.

After a change of venues, the match started with doubles where South Carolina’s No. 1 pair of Akli and Olympe Lancelot recorded their first ranked win together, taking down No. 15 Guillermina Grant and Mai Nirundorn in a dominant 6-1 decision. The duo is now a perfect 6-0 together and 3-0 in dual matches, all from the top spot in the lineup.

Georgia was able to fight back to take the doubles point though with Shahar Biran and Elise Mills falling at the No. 3 position and the point being clinched by the nation’s No. 58 pair of Dasha Vidmanova and Aysegul Mert over Sarah Hamner and Misa Malkin.

In singles, Georgia was quick to expand their lead with No. 70 Anastasiia Lopata defeating Malkin 6-2, 6-2.

No. 6 Akli earned her singles win next with her 7-5, 6-4 win at the top of the lineup. The win makes her 16-4 on the season and gives her her tenth ranked win of the year.

It wasn’t long after that Georgia clinched the match with No. 108 Nirundorn defeating Lancelot at No. 6 and No. 116 Mell Reasco defeating No. 76 Biran in three sets.

South Carolina will now return home where they will host Georgia Tech in an SEC-ACC matchup on Feb. 2. The match will begin at noon at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center.

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

(4) Georgia 4, South Carolina 1

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

  1. Ayana Akli/Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. #15 Guillermina Grant/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) 6-1
  2. #58 Dasha Vidmanova/Aysegul Mert (UGA) def. Sarah Hamner/Misa Malkin (SC) 6-3
  3. Alexandra Vecic/Mell Reasco (UGA) def. Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SC) 6-3

 Singles (order of finish: 4, 3, 2, 6, 5, 1)

  1. #6 Ayana Akli (SC) def. #35 Alexandra Vecic (UGA) 7-5, 6-4
  2. #30 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) vs. #4 Sarah Hamner (SC) 6-3, 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
  3. #116 Mell Reasco (UGA) def. #76 Shahar Biran (SC) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5
  4. #70 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Misa Malkin (SC) 6-2, 6-2
  5. Guillermina Grant (UGA) vs. Elise Mills (SC) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 2-0, unfinished
  6. #108 Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Olympe Lancelot (SC) 7-5, 6-2

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