March 17, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 9 South Carolina women’s tennis, boasting its first top-10 ranking since 1983, hits the road for a pair of SEC matchups this weekend at No. 22 Mississippi State and at No. 37 Ole Miss. The Gamecocks take on the Bulldogs on Fri., March 18, at 4 p.m., before taking on the Rebels on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Gamecocks, winners of seven straight, enter the weekend with their best overall record (12-2) since 1999, and best start to SEC play (4-0) since 2003. Nine of South Carolina’s 12 wins have come against ranked opponents, including two top-10 opponents and four top-30 foes. The Bulldogs are 11-3 this season and 2-2 in SEC play, while the Rebels are 8-3 with a 1-3 mark in the SEC.

In The Rankings

Following a pair of top-20 victories, South Carolina moved up three spots to No. 9 in this week’s Oracle/ITA Ranking, marking the program’s highest ranking since 1983 when it ended the season at No. 6. The doubles team of freshman Paige Cline and sophomore Hadley Berg is ranked No. 54 after compiling a 7-0 mark this spring, all from the No. 1 position in the lineup. Individually, junior Caroline Dailey is No. 109, while Cline checks in at No. 110.

Earning Honors

Three Gamecocks have tallied a total of four weekly honors from the SEC office this spring. Junior Caroline Dailey was named SEC Player of the Week on Feb. 24, after her victory over the nation’s 11th-ranked player helped her squad rally to beat No. 21 Clemson. Freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins has been tabbed the SEC Freshman of the Week twice, most recently on March 2nd after she helped clinch two points for South Carolina in its win over No. 27 Wake Forest. Freshman Paige Cline also earned a Freshman of the Week nod a week ago after helping her team jump out to a 2-0 start to SEC action.

Quick Hits

• The Gamecocks are 5-0 against top-30 opponents this season.
• South Carolina’s win over then-No. 5 Vanderbilt marked its first win over a top-5 team since 2005.
• South Carolina has multiple wins over top-10 opponents in a season for the first time since 2004.
• Eleven of the Gamecocks’ 14 opponents have been ranked in the Oracle/ITA Rankings at some point this season.
• The Gamecocks have won the doubles point in 11-of-14 matches this spring, posting a 2-1 record when dropping the point.
• Carolina is a combined 23-2 in the No. 4 and 5 spots of the singles lineup this spring.
• Sophomore Hadley Berg is perfect in her first 12 singles results, the best start for a Gamecock since 1999.
• Junior Brigit Folland has racked up eight straight victories en route to an 11-1 spring record.
• Freshman Ingrid Gamarra Martins, now at the No. 2 position in singles, holds a 10-3 record this spring and leads the team at 3-0 in three-set matches.

Scouting No. 22 Mississippi State

• The Bulldogs earned a split in their roadtrip last weekend, falling to No. 16 Texas A&M, 5-2, before topping No. 15 LSU, 4-3.
• Mississippi State is 5-2 against ranked opponents this season.
• Ranked in singles: No. 9 Jasmine Lee, No. 86 Georgianna Patrasc
• Ranked in doubles: No. 34 Madison Harrison and Patrasc, No. 43 Lee and Louise Ronaldson, No. 70 Kristina Vozniak and Jennifer Brown.

Scouting No. 37 Ole Miss

• The Rebels have lost three of their last four after a pair of close 4-3 losses last weekend at No. 15 LSU and No. 16 Texas A&M.
• Ole Miss is 1-1 against top-10 teams this spring.
• Ranked in singles: No. 49 Arianne Hartono, No. 62 Mai El Kamash, No. 73 Tea Jandric, No. 79 Natalie Suk, No. 116 Allie Sanford
• Ranked in doubles: No. 27 Hartono and El Kamash

Up Next

Carolina returns home for a four-match home stand, featuring three SEC contests over the span of eight days. The Gamecocks take on No. 13 Florida on Sat., March 26, at 1 p.m., before battling No. 14 Texas A&M on Thurs., March 31, at 5 p.m. A doubleheader with LSU and the College of Charleston will take place on Sat., April 2, with the Gamecocks and Tigers set to clash at Noon. Parking and attendance at all home matches are free.