USC looks to stay undefeated in matchup with Paladins
The USC women’s tennis team plays its first away match of the year today against Furman, which it defeated 6-1 to open last year’s spring season.
The Gamecocks won their first match of 2011 in commanding fashion, defeating South Carolina State 6-1 on Saturday. The Bulldogs brought only five players to the contest, forfeiting the third doubles and sixth singles matches. USC built on its automatic lead with dominating performances in singles and doubles.
“We’re always excited to get that first one out of the way,” coach Arlo Elkins said prior to the matchup. “What makes this one even a little bit more exciting for us is that Susie Mansour, who graduated a couple of years ago, is [an assistant] coach of the South Carolina State team. We’re looking forward to seeing her as well.”
Carolina was plagued by a variety of injuries during its fall season, but all the players are ready to compete for the six available spots in singles and doubles.
“All the girls are healthy now,” Elkins said. “They’re all equal, so that’s a good problem for us. Everyone’s going to deserve to be in the lineup, so we’re going to have a tough decision.”
Last year’s Gamecocks advanced to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and the second round of the NCAA tournament. Two freshmen, Dominika Kanakova and Katerina Popova, should boost an already strong roster as the team strives to improve upon last year’s success.
“Right now we have three players in the national rankings,” Elkins said. “It’s nice to have that many players. So that’s one goal – to keep at least three players in the national rankings.
“We always start out with the goal of being ranked top 20 in the nation [as a team] and finishing in the top four in the SEC. That’s still going to remain our goal this year to start off with. Hopefully we’ll be able to even move up a little from that.”
Junior Anya Morgina is currently ranked No. 37 in the nation, while junior Dijana Stojic is ranked No. 93. As a team, USC is currently No. 21.
Kanakova and Stojic recorded their first singles victories of the spring season against South Carolina State, and together they formed the first doubles team that beat the Bulldogs’ Akilah James and Daria Sekerina. It was Kanakova’s first collegiate match.
“I think [Kanakova] was a little nervous,” Elkins said. “That’s why we try to get some of these early matches in and get the nerves out … I’m sure she’ll be tough. She’s tough for sure in the doubles lineup.”
Popova and Morgina won their match as the second doubles team, but Popova did not compete in singles, and Morgina lost to Sekerina.