Oct. 16, 2014

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team opened play in the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional Championships with a 5-1 doubles record at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Thursday.

Three of the Gamecocks’ five duos entered in the doubles main draw advanced to the round of 16. Meghan Blevins and Brigit Folland scored a pair of victories over teams from UNC Wilmington and Elon. Megen Cochran and Caroline Dailey beat a Winthrop duo after receiving a bye for the first round, and Hadley Berg and Elixane Lechemia did likewise versus USC Upstate to advance to the round of 16.

Natalie Looney and Ximena Siles Luna defeated North Carolina A&T’s Colbert/Scott to advance to the second round and will aim for the round of 16 when they take on Clemson’s Dewar and Eidukonyte on Friday morning.

In singles action, Siles Luna advanced to the main draw after surviving two rounds of qualifying. She defeated Taylor Casey from Elon in her first match 6-3, 7-5 and then upended Ekin Gunaysu from Winthrop by the same scores. Looney and Alex Martin both lost their first-round matches of the qualifying tournament.

Main draw round of 16 doubles matches are set for Friday morning, while the opening round of main draw singles will begin following doubles.

SINGLES
Lisa Grosselius (Charlotte) def. Natalie Looney (South Carolina) 6-3, 7-6 (10-8)
Amy Ellis (UNC Greensboro) def. Alex Martin (South Carolina) 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Ximena Siles Luna (South Carolina) def. Taylor Casey (Elon) 6-3, 7-5
Ximena Siles Luna (South Carolina) def. Ekin Gunaysu (Winthrop) 6-3, 7-5

DOUBLES
Doost/Sacko (Gardner-Webb) def. Fosnacht/Martin (South Carolina) 8-2
Looney/Siles Luna (South Carolina) def. Colbert/Scott (North Carolina A&T) 8-1
Cochran/Dailey (South Carolina) def. Aguado/Humberg (Winthrop) 8-2
Blevins/Folland (South Carolina) def. Hales/Ritchie (UNC Wilmington) 8-4
Blevins/Folland (South Carolina) def. Casey/Lucas (Elon) 8-3
Berg/Lechemia (South Carolina) def. Von Stryk/Zoske (USC Upstate) 8-3