University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
South Carolina
Lady Vols Lose Heartbreaking 4-3 Match
April 11, 2015 | Women's Tennis
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Tennessee Lady Vols (11-13, 3-9) lost a heartbreaking, 4-3 match to the No. 26 South Carolina Gamecocks (14-8, 6-6) on Friday at Carolina Tennis Center.
In doubles, the Gamecocks put pressure on the Lady Vols quickly, taking the first match on court 3 with Elixana Lechemia and Ximena Siles Luna defeating sophomore Victoria Olivarez and junior Tiffany Tavares 8-3.
Tennessee bounced back, though, as seniors Joanna Henderson and Caitlyn Williams beat the 58th ranked doubles team of Caroline Dailey and Hadley Berg 8-6, leaving it up to court 2 to determine the winner of the doubles point. It was the sophomore duo of Eve Repic and Laurence Guevremont who came out victorious in their match against the No. 37 team of Brigit Folland and Meghan Blevins in an 8-6 win.
In singles, South Carolina responded with wins on courts 1 and 4. Henderson fell to No. 60 ranked Lechemia 6-1, 6-3, and Olivarez lost 6-4, 6-2 against Blevins, giving the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead.
Repic answered for Tennessee, as she completed a come-from-behind 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) victory over Dailey after being down 5-1 in the third set. With the match tied at 2-2, Berg was able to regain the lead for the Gamecocks with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Tavares, but Tennessee responded with a win of its own, as Williams bested Folland 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5 on court 3.
Tied at 3-3, the match came down to the matchup between Guevremont and Erin Stephens on court 5. After two sets went to tiebreakers, the nearly seven-hour match ended with Stephens clinching the victory for the Gamecocks, as she defeated Guevremont 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3).
The Lady Vols will have tomorrow off to rest from tonight's match, as they travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators on Sunday at 10 a.m. at Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
#26 South Carolina 4, #66 Tennessee 3
Singles
1. #60 Elixane Lechemia, USC, def. #98 Joanna Henderson, UT, 6-1, 6-3
2. Eve Repic, UT, def. Caroline Dailey, USC, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3)
3. Caitlyn Williams, UT, def. Brigit Folland, USC, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5
4. Meghan Blevins, USC, def. Victoria Olivarez, UT, 6-4, 6-2
5. Erin Stephens, USC, def. Laurence Guevremont, UT, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3)
6. Hadley Berg, USC, def. Tiffany Tavares, UT, 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. #38 Henderson/Williams, UT, def. #58 Berg/Dailey, USC, 8-6
2. Repic/Guevremont, UT, def. #37 Blevins/Folland, USC, 8-6
3. Siles Luna/Lechemia, USC, def. Tavares/Olivarez, UT, 8-3
Order of Finish Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (1, 4, 2, 6, 3, 5)
