Feb. 9, 2010

Complete Weekly Release in PDF Format

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After three weeks of postponements, the USC Upstate women's tennis team finally got its 2010 season underway on Monday when it beat Presbyterian College, 5-2. Now the Spartans can turn their attention to a pair of matches on the road, as they will look for its first win in three meetings against Coastal Carolina on Saturday and will look for its second straight at Georgia Southern on Sunday. The Spartans started the season with a young lineup, starting four freshmen in the season opener against the Blue Hose. The freshmen played well accounting for two singles wins (Francisca Valderrama at No. 2 and Simona Cacciuttolo at No. 4) and both doubles wins (Monica Pezzotti and Valderrama at No. 1 and Cacciuttolo and sophomore Ana-Sofia Camberos at No. 2).

Last Meeting Recaps
Feb. 26, 2000: Coastal Carolina 7, USC Spartanburg 0
The Chanticleers and Spartans have squared off twice, once in 1991 and once in 2000. The Spartans have never won a point from the Chants.

Feb. 24, 2008: Upstate 5, Georgia Southern 2
Senior Maria Herrera became the eighth player in school history to reach 80 career wins in singles and doubles play combined with her win at No. 6 singles, helping the USC Upstate women's tennis team to a 5-2 win over Georgia Southern at the USC Upstate Tennis Complex. The Spartan win snapped a three- match winning streak for the Eagles (3-3), who won all three matches against Atlantic Sun foes.

Spartan Volleys
• In their third year of Division I play, the Spartans have an all-time record of 31-7 (.816).

• Both Chileans Simona Cacciuttolo and Francisca Valderrama won their singles and doubles matches against Presbyterian College, opening their careers with 2-0 combined records.

• The team has a 4-1 record in the D-I era against Big South teams, beating Presbyterian three times and Charleston Southern once. The team also fell to Winthrop in 2008.

• The team has a 3-1 record in the D-I era against Southern Conference teams, beating Wofford twice and Georgia Southern once. The team also fell to Davidson in 2008.

• With her last win at the Wofford Fall Challenge, Cinthya Lazaro became the 19th player in school history to reach 25 singles wins.

• Junior Emilia Milovanovic is three doubles wins away from becoming the sixth player in school history to reach 50 in a career.

• Sophomores Ana-Sofia Camberos and Cinthya Lazaro and junior Emilia Milovanovic were all members of the A-Sun All-Freshman Team. Camberos and Lazaro earned the honors in 2009 and Milovanovic earned it in 2008.

• The Spartans are 27-1 in the D-I era when winning the doubles point.