SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament: USC hosts, hopes to rule roost
South Carolina coach Kevin Epley likes the position the Gamecocks are in heading into the SEC tournament that begins Wednesday at the Carolina Tennis Complex.
South Carolina received first-day bye. In Wednesday’s openers, Tennessee plays Auburn, and Missouri plays Arkansas.
The seventh-seeded Gamecocks will match-up with 10th-seeded Mississippi State at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Epley, in his third season at USC, believes hosting the 14-team tournament will help build the Gamecocks’ program. The other time South Carolina hosted the event was 2002.
“It’s huge for the program,” Epley said. “Obviously, it’s a high-profile event and we’ve got all of the teams in the SEC here which includes (four) of the top 10 teams in the nation. There will be a lot of good tennis being played, of course, but I think it gives us an advantage anytime you play at home.”
South Carolina, 7-2 at home, beat Mississippi State 4-3 in Columbia on March 20. The last time the Gamecocks reached the SEC finals was that home tournament in 2002.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it,” Epley said of the success his team has had at home. “The courts are painted the same way and the nets are the same, but the familiarity of it and having the fans raises your general comfort level. Just like any other sport, anytime you get to play at home, it’s a huge advantage.”
South Carolina (14-7, 6-7 in the SEC) has played better toward the end of the regular season. Since losing on the road at Arkansas in the middle of March, the Gamecocks have won five of their past eight matches. The three losses were against top 10 teams: Florida, Vanderbilt and Georgia.
Epley said it’s hard to pinpoint why the quality of tennis has gotten better over the past four weeks.
“We did the same thing last year, too,” Epley said. “We got fed up with losing. The girls kind of looked inward and said, ‘We’re tired of this, let’s step up and get it done.’ They’ve been able to do that for the most part and they came out with some big wins.
“After the Arkansas match, you could tell the quality of practices went up and the attention by the players showed up. Things started happening in our favor.”
The Gamecocks are led by Elixane Lechemia at No. 1 singles. Epley said the senior has “steadily gotten better throughout the season.” She is currently the No. 44 singles player in the country.
Senior Meghan Blevins has provided a spark. The Charleston native is 25-8 in singles and 27-10 in doubles.But it’s been what she’s done off the court that has been just as important. She has become a leader on a team with three seniors.
“She has been our sort of our spiritual and compassionate leader,” Epley said. “She’s the one keeping everyone focused and encouraging players on other courts to get the job done. “She’s been the energy.”
Sophomore Brigit Folland was recently named to the conference’s Community Service Team.
SEC TOURNAMENT
WHEN: Wednesday-Sunday
WHERE: Carolina Tennis Center, 1316 Heyward Street
TOP SEEDS: No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Georgia
USC’S OPENER: vs. Mississippi State, 2 p.m., Thursday
SEE: gamecocksonline.com/secwtennis
This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 9:03 PM with the headline "SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament: USC hosts, hopes to rule roost."