Complete Results

MOBILE, Ala. – After clinching the doubles point and taking six out of seven singles matches in straight sets, the University of South Alabama women's tennis team swept Jacksonville State 7-0 Friday afternoon at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Jaguars are now 1-0 in their spring campaign, while the Gamecocks dropped to 1-3 overall.

"I thought we played a pretty clean match today," said USA head coach Jaco Keyser. "The quality wasn't 100 percent, but the fundamentals were pretty solid. It's nice to start off the season this way."

South Alabama secured the doubles point on courts 2 and 3 after dropping a combined three games. Senior Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) and junior Michaela Meszarosova (Bratislava, Slovakia) picked up the first doubles point with a 6-1 win over Olivia Nguyen and Zoe Bizinos at No. 2. Juniors Cinta Maria Papke (Flein, Germany) and Paula Sanchez (Bogota, Colombia) quickly followed with a 6-2 victory over Genevie Ulanday and Claudia Marsala in the No. 3 flight.

"I love the way we came out in doubles," said Keyser. "We executed what we have been working on in practice. Our positioning was really good. Seeing everything come together today was really good because as the season goes on, the doubles point is going to be a really big swing point for us."

Diana Mirceta and Danielle Kerindi claimed the only win for the Gamecocks when they edged sophomores Laura Valkova (Piestany, Slovakia) and Monica Mitta (Fairhope, Ala.) 7-6 (6-3) at the No. 1 spot.

In singles action, Valkova downed Nguyen 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 and senior Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) dropped Bizinos 6-0, 6-3 in the No. 4 position to give the Jags a 3-0 lead.

Sophomore Laura Matuskova (Bratislava, Slovakia) clinched the match for South Alabama when she defeated Mirceta 6-3, 6-2 on the No. 5 court.

Papke won 6-3, 6-2 over Kerindi at No. 6, Meszarosova topped Marsala 6-2, 7-5 in the No. 3 flight and Newton earned the last point for USA when she outlasted Ulanday 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), (10-5) at the No. 2 spot.

"For this time of the year, I think we played pretty good tennis," said Keyser. "Hopefully we can continue to get better from week to week. I feel really good about this team."

South Alabama is back in action Sunday, Feb. 1 when they host Jackson State (9:30 a.m.) and Jackson State (2 p.m.).

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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