Kansas wraps the FGCU Invitational

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kansas sophomore Tatiana Nikolaeva earned her fourth-straight singles win on the final day of the FGCU Invitational in Fort Myers, Florida at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
 
The Jayhawks faced No. 15-ranked South Carolina in all seven of their singles matches to finish out the weekend. Nikolaeva outlasted Paige Cline, 6-4, 7-6 (4) to claim the victory. Kansas recorded two other singles wins Monday coming from No. 94 Despoina Vogasari and No. 112 Nina Khmelnitckaia. Vogasari defeated Mia Horvit, 6-3, 6-4, while Khmelnitckaia downed Ingrid Gamarra Martins, 6-3, 6-4.
 
“This week of training and the tournament play was exactly what we needed to start the spring season,” said head coach Todd Chapman. “We have a really good idea of where we are as a team right now and that was the main goal. We were tested this weekend and know what we need to focus on to get ready for a really tough road match at Michigan.”
 
No. 90-ranked Janet Koch won her first set, but ultimately dropped the match against No. 43 Hadley Berg, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Playing against No. 105-ranked Megan Davies, Maria Toran Ribes fell in two, 6-3, 6-4. The Gamecocks’ Rachel Rohrabacher came out on top against Amber Policare, 6-3, 6-4. Carla Pons Martorell lost her match, 6-2, 6-1, to Nikolina Jovic.
 
Next, the Jayhawks will travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan to open dual play against the Wolverines Sunday, January 21 at 12 p.m., at the Varsity Tennis Center.
 
Day Three Results
 
Singles
No. 94 Vogasari (KU) def. Horvit (USC) 6-3, 6-4
No. 43 Berg (USC) def. No. 90 Koch (KU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
No. 112 Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Martins (USC) 6-3, 6-4
No. 105 Davies (USC) def. Toran Ribes (KU) 6-3, 6-4
Nikolaeva (KU) def. Cline (USC) 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Rohrabacher (USC) def. Policare (KU) 6-3, 6-4
Jovic (USC) def. Pons Martorell (KU) 6-2, 6-1
 
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