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Lancelot Clinches as Gamecocks Upset No. 16 Tennessee
Women's Tennis  . 

Lancelot Clinches as Gamecocks Upset No. 16 Tennessee

Columbia, S.C. – ­No. 22 South Carolina women’s tennis took down No. 16 Tennessee 4-3 in a Friday evening showdown. The Vols made a miraculous comeback to claim the doubles point but the Gamecocks made a comeback of their own in singles to secure the victory.

In doubles, the Gamecocks struck first with Misa Malkin and Olympe Lancelot claiming a 6-3 win at the No. 3 position. At the same time, both Gamecock pairs at the top two positions were each up break with No. 41 Ayana Akli and Sarah Hamner up a double break at the top of the lineup.

With the doubles point on the line, the Volunteers surged with No. 57 Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase claiming the win at the No. 1 position and No. 51 Esther Adeshina and Alana Wolfberg claiming the win at No. 2, both by a 7-5 margin.

Play transitioned to singles where No. 124 Shahar Biran was quick to even things up at 1-1 with a 6-1 6-2 win on Court 3 and No. 10 Hamner gave the Gamecocks the first lead of the night, with her 6-3, 6-4 win on Court 2. The lead didn’t last long though with No. 8 Akli falling to No. 27 Cabezas shortly after to even the match at 2-2.

The Gamecocks again took the lead 3-2 with graduate Elise Mills pulling off a gritty three-set comeback win 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 at the No. 5 position but again the Vols cut the deficit with Malkin falling to No. 121 Catherine Aulia at the No. 4 position.

The match decision was in the hands of Lancelot on Court 6 where she was in a heated battle with Tennessee’s Lauren Anzalotta. The Vol claimed the first set 6-2 but the Gamecock took the second 6-3. In the final set with all eyes on them, Lancelot went up a double break to lead 5-1 in the final set but Anzalotta refused to go down quietly, taking the next three games to trail 5-4.

Lancelot’s confidence wavered after having given up a break and trailing 30-40 while serving at 5-4, but the junior never gave up and won the next game to force a deuce point that she then put away with a backhand down the line that Anzalotta couldn’t return.

The win improves the team to 9-3 overall and secures their first conference win of the season.

The women’s tennis team will continue SEC play on Sunday, hosting No. 10 Georgia at the Carolina Tennis Center at 1:00 p.m. Gates will open one hour prior to first serve and admission will be free.

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

(22) South Carolina 4, (16) Tennessee 3

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

  1. #57 Sofia Cabezas/Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #41 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SC) 7-5
  2. #51 Esther Adeshina/Alana Wolfberg (TENN) def. Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SC) 7-5
  3. Misa Malkin/Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Catherine Aulia/Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) 6-3

Singles (order of finish: 43, 2, 1, 5, 4, 6)

  1. #27 Sofia Cabezas (TENN) def. #8 Ayana Akli (SC) 6-2, 6-4
  2. #10 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-3, 6-4
  3. #125 Shahar Biran (SC) def. Alana Wolfberg (TENN) 6-1, 6-2
  4. #121 Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. Misa Malkin (SC) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
  5. Elise Mills (SC) def. Esther Adeshina (TENN) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
  6. Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

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