No. 13 Tigers Defeat No. 21 South Carolina 5-2 Sunday

CLEMSON, S.C. – The 13^th ranked Clemson women’s tennis team defeated No. 21 South Carolina 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center. The Tigers rallied for the win over the Gamecocks after falling to No. 9 Georgia in a hard-fought 4-3 match just 24 hours earlier in Clemson. With the win, the Tigers move to 3-1 on the season and the Gamecocks fall to 4-2.

In doubles action, the Tigers’ top team of Beatrice Gumulya and Jessy Rompies, ranked second nationally, won their match 6-3. Tristen Dewar and Romy Koelzer then fell at number two singles to No. 33 Folland and Blevins 6-4 to even things up. It came down to number three doubles where Yuilynn Miao and Daniela Ruiz came from behind to defeat Dailey and Siles Luna 7-5 to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Miao and Ruiz trailed 2-5 at one point in the match, and were down 15-40 in the final game before Ruiz, a freshman, served two aces to end the match and clinch the doubles point.  

In singles, Dewar fell at number four to even the score at one. Then, the Tigers got back-to-back victories on courts one and three, respectively. At number one singles No. 85 Koelzer defeated No. 120 Elixane Lechemia 6-1, 6-4 followed by No. 27 Eidukonyte winning 6-0, 6-3 at number three to put the Tigers up 3-1. Ruiz fell at number six, 6-1, 6-0 to even it once again, but momentum quickly switched back to Clemson’s side. Gumulya, playing at number two singles, battled to a three-set victory to clinch the match for the Tigers. In the final match of the day, Rompies rallied from one set down to win on Court 5, 4-6, 6-1, 10-8.

The Tigers travel to Charlottesville, Va. to take part in the ITA Team Indoor Championships Feb. 6-9. Clemson qualified for the tournament by winning the ITA Kickoff Weekend Jan. 24-25, defeating #66 Winthrop and #40 Purdue. Opponents and match times for the tournament are to be determined.

#13 Clemson 5, #21 South Carolina 2

SINGLES

1. #85 Romy Koelzer (CU) def. #120 Elixane Lechemia (SC) 6-1, 6-4 2. Beatrice Gumulya (CU) def.  Caroline Dailey (SC) 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 3. #27 Joana Eidukonyte(CU) def.  Brigit Folland (SC) 6-0, 6-3 4. #99 Meghan Blevins (SC) def. Tristen Dewar (CU) 6-3, 6-2 5. Jessy Rompies (CU) def. Hadley Berg (SC) 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 6. Ximena Siles Luna (SC) def. Daniela Ruiz (CU) 6-1, 6-0Order of finish: 4, 1, 3, 6, 2, 5

DOUBLES

1. #2 Gumulya/Rompies (CU) def. Lechemia/Berg (SC) 6-3 2. #33 Folland/Blevins (SC) def. Dewar/Koelzer (CU) 6-4 3. Ruiz/Miao (CU) def. Dailey/Siles Luna (SC) 7-5Order of finish: 1, 2, 3