Feb. 22, 2000

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- North Carolina's 29th-ranked women's tennis team dropped its third straight match to a higher-ranked opponent Wednesday, losing to the No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks by a score of 7-2.

Claiming the lone singles victory for the Heels was junior Erin Niebling, who defeated Tamara Sutton by a score of 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(7-2) at No. 4 singles. With the win, Niebling moves to 4-0 in dual match singles play this season.

The Tar Heels' other victory came at No. 3 doubles, where senior Jessica Zaganczyk and junior Courtney Zalinski bested the USC duo of Sutton and Kathy Boyanovich (8-1).

With the loss, Carolina falls to 1-3. All three loses have come on the road to Southeastern Conference teams (Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina). South Carolina improves to 6-3 with the victory.

The Tar Heels will try to end their skid Saturday when they return home to host No. 17 Notre Dame. Action begins at 1 p.m. at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

No. 14 USC 7, No. 29 UNC 2

Singles
1. #35 Katarina Markovski (USC) d. Marlene Mejia (UNC) 6-4, 6-4
2. #53 Jennifer Radman (USC) d. Jessica Zaganczyk (UNC) 6-2, 6-3
3. Leigh Eichelberger (USC) d. #99 Kendrick Bunn (UNC) 3-6, 6-4,7-5
4. Erin Niebling (UNC) d. #73 Tamara Sutton (USC)3-6, 6-3, 7-6(7-2)
5. Lynn-Yin Tan (USC) d. Caroline Hill (UNC) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
6. Kathy Boyanovich (USC) d. Courtney Zalinski (UNC) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. #31Markovski/Radman (USC) d. Mejia/Niebling (UNC) 9-7
2. Catherine Brown/Tan (USC) d. Bunn/Kate Pinchbeck (UNC) 8-5
3. Zaganczyk/Zalinski (UNC) d. Boyanovich/Sutton (USC)8-1