13th-Ranked Clemson Defeats #24 South Carolina in Columbia

Feb. 21, 2010

COLUMBIA, SC – Clemson women’s tennis traveled to Columbia to take on the 24^th-ranked Gamecocks on Sunday, and defeated their in-state rivals, 4-3. The 13^th-ranked Tigers (10-2) moved to 3-0 this season against ranked SEC foes, and beat the Gamecocks (2-3) for the fourth consecutive time, taking a 23-22 all-time series lead.

Clemson swept the important doubles point, with each spot winning by an 8-4 margin. Laurianne Henry teamed up to beat Andersson and Saari-Bystrom at flight two. Then, Balda and Ciolkowski took down Morgina and Jocic at flight three to clinch the point.

19^th-ranked Bek and Hadziselimovic, playing together for the first time since the finals of the ITA Carolina Regional in October, defeated Stojic and Zuboir at flight one for a win. For Hadziselimovic, it was her 90^th career doubles win, tying her for sixth on Clemson’s all-time list with five-time All-American, Julie Coin (2003-05).

Nelly Ciolkowski, ranked 90^th, defeated Josefin Andersson, 6-3, as Andersson was forced to retire due to injury in the first game of the second set. Ciolkowski improved to 17-3 in her career, and gave Clemson a 2-0 lead in the match.

Ina Hadziselimovic was the next to finish, defeating #82 Anya Morgina, 7-5, 6-0, and snapping a three-match skid.

South Carolina closed the gap to 3-2, as Miljana Jocic took down Estefania Balda at flight six, 6-4, 6-2, and Saari-Bystrom defeated Henry at flight five, 6-3, 6-4. Henry had won five straight matches.

#18 Josipa Bek topped #66 Ana Marija Zubori at flight one to clinch the match for the Tigers. She took the first set in a tiebreak, before winning the second set, 6-3.

Meanwhile, Keri Wong and Dijana Stojic battled into a third set at flight two. Stojic defeated Wong in the first set, 7-6, before Wong responded with a 6-1 second-set win. However, Stojic ended Wong’s four-match win streak, taking the third set, 6-4, and earning South Carolina’s third point. Wong had been 10-0 at the flight two spot entering the match.

Clemson won the first of three matches this week against top-25 opponents. The Tigers open conference play on Feb. 24 at #12 Georgia Tech at 2:00 pm, before traveling to #16 Miami on Feb. 27.

Complete Results

#13 Clemson 4, #24 South Carolina 3

February 21, 2010 – Columbia, SC

Doubles (CU Wins Doubles Point)

1. #19 Bek/Hadziselimovic (CU) d. Stojic/Zubori (SC), 8-4

2. Henry/Wong (CU) d. Andersson/Saari-Bystrom (SC), 8-4

3. Balda/Ciolkowski (CU) d. Morgina/Jocic (SC), 8-4

Order of Finish: 2,3,1

Singles

1. #18 Josipa Bek (CU) d. #66 Ana Marija Zubori (SC), 7-6, 6-3

2. Dijana Stojic (SC) d. #65 Keri Wong (CU), 7-6, 1-6, 6-4

3. Ina Hadziselimovic (CU) d. #82 Anya Morgina (SC), 7-5, 6-0