Women's Tennis . February 15, 2025

Gamecocks Wrap Up Non-Conference Play with Two Wins

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s tennis team picked up a pair of wins at home on Saturday against Wake Forest and Western Carolina, advancing its record to 5-3 to wrap up non-conference play for the season.

Across both dual matches all seven Gamecocks won singles in straight sets.

Wake Forest

The Gamecocks got off to a hot start as Olympe Lancelot and Kaitlyn Carnicella earned a ranked win, dominantly defeating No. 59 Nevena Carton and Kady Tannenbaum 6-1 from the No. 2 position to finish the first doubles match. The Demon Deacons responded by picking up a win from the No. 1 position as Krystal Blanch and Makayla Mills topped Helena Buchwald and Sarah Hamner 6-4.

The doubles point decision came down to the pair of Bella Bergkvist Larsson and Misa Malkin from the No. 3 position. The Gamecocks battled back from a 0-2 deficit to tie the match up 2-all before Whitley Pate and Anna Zhang won the next three straight games to pull away and lead 5-2. Larsson and Malkin remained resilient, using a double fault from Wake Forest to their advantage to tie it up 5-all. The Gamecocks were then unable to follow through on their three-game surge as they ultimately dropped the match 5-7 which allowed the Deamon Deacons to clinch the doubles point and earn and early advantage.

South Carolina started off strong in singles action, picking up first sets wins across all six courts including a 6-0 shutout from Malkin. Buchwald tied up the match to 1-1 for the Gamecocks from court 5, winning with scores of 7-5 and 6-0. Malkin got the Garnet & Black its first lead of the match with a 6-0, 6-4 victory before Larsson had South Carolina within one point of clinching after advancing the Gamecocks to a 3-1 lead with a 7-5, 6-0 win. Olympe Lancelot secured South Carolina’s first dual match win of the day, dominating 6-2, 6-3 from court 3.

South Carolina 4, Wake Forest 1

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

Krystal Blanch/Makayla Mills (WFU) def. Helena Buchwald/Sarah Hamner (SC) 6-4
Olympe Lancelot/Kaitlyn Carnicella (SC) def. #59 Nevena Carton/Kady Tannenbaum (WFU) 6-1
Whitley Pate/Anna Zhang (WFU) def. Bella Bergkvist Larsson/Misa Malkin (SC) 7-5

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

#21 Sarah Hamner (SC) led Nevena Carton (WFU) 6-4, 5-5, unfinished
#61 Kaitlyn Carnicella (SC) led #73 Krystal Blanch (WFU) 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Anna Zhang (WFU) 6-2, 6-3
Misa Malkin (SC) def. Whitley Pate (WFU) 6-0, 6-4
Helena Buchwald (SC) def. Kady Tannenbaum (WFU) 7-5, 6-0
Bella Bergkvist Larsson (SC) def. Sankavi Gownder (WFU) 7-5, 6-0

Western Carolina

The Gamecocks took an early lead for their second dual match of the day, clinching the doubles point after wins from the No. 1 and 3 positions. Lauren Friedman and Jana Stojanova paired up for a strong 6-1 win that ended with a near ace from Friedman. Hamner and Buchwald recovered from their first doubles match of the day by clinching the first point for the Gamecocks with a 6-4 win over the Catamounts.

Mirroring the first match against Wake Forest, South Carolina repeated their strategy of earning first set wins from all six courts. Carnicella finished first, cruising to a 6-0, 6-2 win. Malkin followed up with her second singles win of the day after a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Stojanova completed the 4-0 sweep for the Gamecocks with a 6-1, 6-3 win on court 6.

South Carolina 4, Western Carolina 0

Doubles (order of finish: 3,1)

Sarah Hamner/Helena Buchwald (SC) def. Chloe Schwarz/Jade Groen (WCU) 6-4
Olympe Lancelot/Kaitlyn Carnicella (SC) led Andrea Redono/Isabella Sambola (WCU) 5-4, unfinished
Lauren Friedman/Jana Sotjanova (SC) def. Dasha Osadova/Angela Perez (WCU) 6-1

Singles (order of finish: 2,4,6)