SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Junior Rokia Sacko won two of her four singles matches as the Runnin' Bulldogs competed at the three-day 2014 USC Upstate Fall Classic.
Sacko overcame an first round Singles Green Draw loss to East Tennessee State's Regina Nychytailova in a 1-6, 6-7 match to play two very strong matches in the Singles Green Back Draw first beating Wofford's Kalli Karas in a 6-3, 6-3 match.
The junior followed that match up with a comfortable win over USC Upstate's Sharlee Deshmukh 6-1, 6-0 to advance to the finals of the Singles Green Back Draw where she fought hard against Presbyterian's Greer Ransom in 4-6, 4-6 loss.
Sacko also teamed up with senior Yasmin Doost in the Doubles Green Draw to pick up the Runnin' Bulldogs only doubles victory of the three-day tournament, beating the team of Sara McBride and Kayla Stanford from Presbyterian, in a 8-3 doubles match.
Gardner-Webb saw solid play this weekend from freshman Stina Magnusson and Sarah Rieckmann who each picked up first round wins in the Single's White Draw. Magnusson triumphed over Wofford's Brooke Graham 6-2, 6-2. Rieckmann played a 7-5, 6-4 match to defeat Presbyterian's Carolina deLoach, while senior Yasmin Doost rounded out Gardner-Webb's weekend wins with a hard fought 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(6) over Presbyterian's Brittany Nuttall in a second-round Single's Black Draw match.
Gardner-Webb's women's tennis team is next scheduled to compete at the ITA Regionals tournament, slated for Thursday, October 16th through Monday, October 20th in Chapel Hill, N.C.
RESULTS:
Singles Green Draw
Regina Nychytailova (East Tennessee State) def. Rockia Sacko (Gardner-Webb) -- 6-1, 7-6
Rockia Sacko (Gardner-Webb) def. Kalli Karas (Wofford) -- 6-3, 6-3
Rockia Sacko (Gardner-Webb) def. Sharlee Deshkmukh (USC Upstate) -- 6-1, 6-0
Greer Ransom (Presbyterian) def. Rockia Sacko (Gardner-Webb) -- 6-4, 6-4
Anna Zoske (USC Upstate) def. Catherine White (Gardner-Webb) -- 6-2, 6-3
Singles White Draw
Stina Magnusson (Gardner-Webb) def. Brooke Graham (Wofford) -- 6-2, 6-2
Ericka Rivero (UNC Asheville) def. Stina Magnusson (Gardner-Webb) -- 6-1, 6-1
Sarah Rieckmann (Gardner-Webb) def. Carolina deLoach (Presbyterian) -- 7-5, 6-4
Ana Gerbasi (East Tennessee State) def. Sarah Rieckmann (Gardner-Webb) -- 7-5, 2-6, 6-0
Singles Black Draw
Yasmin Doost (Gardner-Webb) def. Brittany Nuttal (Presbyterian) -- 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6)
Emily McNall (UNC Asheville) def. Yasmin Doost (Gardner-Webb) -- 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Emily McNall (UNC Asheville) def. Mary Walker Mixon (Gardner-Webb) 6-1, 6-0
Catherine Martin (Wofford) def. Mary Walker Mixon (Gardner-Webb) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles Green Draw
Doost/Sacko (Gardner-Webb) def. McBride/Stanford (Presbyterian) -- 8-3
Karas/Reid (Wofford) def. Doost/Sacko (Gardner-Webb) -- 8-6
Doubles White Draw
Conze/deLoach (Presbyterian) def. White/Rieckmann (Gardner-Webb) -- 8-5
Ransom/Mitchell-Andrews (Presbyterian) def. Magnusson/Walker Mixon (Gardner-Webb) -- 8-6
Mulyadi/Storie (University of Tennessee Chattanooga) def. Magnusson/Walker Mixon (Gardner-Webb) -- 8-4
