AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken's women's tennis team, ranked 25th in NCAA Division II, lost to 16th ranked USC Upstate, 6-3, on Saturday, but defeated UNC Pembroke, 7-2 on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Pacers improve to 12-4 overall and 4-3 in Peach Belt Conference play.

Against USC Upstate (5-4, 4-1 PBC) on Saturday, the Lady Pacers squeaked out one win in three doubles matches when Kerry Donovan and Elly Toth defeated Paloma Castillo and Zarah DeSilva by a score of 9-8. USCA however, could only achieve victory in two of the six singles matches. Mayra Kaefer downed DeSilva in number three singles, 7-5 and 6-4, and Toth beat Castillo at number six singles.

Mariana Melo, the 25th ranked singles player in NCAA Division II, lost just one game on her way to a 6-1 and 6-0 victory over USC Aiken's Dominique Cassetori in number one singles.

On Sunday against the Lady Braves (8-6, 1-5 PBC), the Lady Pacers won two of the three doubles matches before moving on and winning five of six singles matches. The duo of Nicole Copp and Otavia Bastos beat Abi French and Erin Saltzman, 8-1, in number two doubles.

Donovan, playing at number two singles for the first time this season, lost just one game on her way to a 6-1 and 6-0 victory over Saltzman. 

UNC Pembroke picked up a point in number five singles when French downed Bastos, 6-3, 2-6 and 10-8.
Toth lost just two games in beating Shannon Gentry 6-2 and 6-0 in number six singles. The sophomore improved to 13-2 in singles play this season.

The Lady Pacers will return to action on Tuesday when they host number 11 Georgia College & State University at 2:30 p.m., at the USC Aiken Tennis Complex. 
Tennis Match Results
USC Aiken vs USC Upstate
Mar 19, 2005 at Spartanburg, S.C.
#16 USC Upstate 6, #25 USC Aiken 3

Singles competition:
1. #25 Mariana Melo (UPSTATE) def. Dominique Cassetori (USCA) 6-1, 6-0
2. Susana Hernandez (UPSTATE) def. Nicole Copp (USCA) 6-2, 6-1
3. Mayra Kaefer (USCA) def. Zarah DeSilva (UPSTATE) 7-5, 6-4
4. Diana Martinez (UPSTATE) def. Kerry Donovan (USCA) 6-2, 6-1
5. Annika Meyerson (UPSTATE) def. Otavia Bastos (USCA) 6-2, 6-1
6. Elly Toth (USCA) def. Paloma Castillo (UPSTATE) 5-4, retired

Doubles competition:
1. Susana Hernandez/Mariana Melo (UPSTATE) def. Dominique Cassetori/Mayra Kaefer (USCA) 8-3
2. Diana Martinez/Annika Meyerson (UPSTATE) def. Otavia Bastos/Nicole Copp (USCA) 8-3
3. Kerry Donovan/Elly Toth (USCA) def. Paloma Castillo/Zarah DeSilva (UPSTATE) 9-8

Match Notes:
USC Aiken 11-4 (3-3 PBC); National ranking #25; Regional ranking #7
USC Upstate 5-4 (4-1 PBC); National ranking #16; Regional ranking #5


Tennis Match Results
UNC Pembroke vs USC Aiken
Mar 20, 2005 at Aiken, S.C.
#25 USC Aiken 7, UNC Pembroke 2

Singles competition:
1. Dominique Cassetori (USCA) def. Stacey Wood (UNCP) 6-3, 6-2
2. Mayra Kaefer (USCA) def. Erin Saltzman (UNCP) 6-1, 6-0
3. Nicole Copp (USCA) def. Natalie Dies (UNCP) 6-2, 6-4
4. Kerry Donovan (USCA) def. Jessica Figgins (UNCP) 6-2, 6-1
5. Abi French (UNCP) def. Otavia Bastos (USCA) 6-3, 2-6, 10-8
6. Elly Toth (USCA) def. Shannon Gentry (UNCP) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition:
1. Dominique Cassetori/Mayra Kaefer (USCA) def. Natalie Dies/Stacey Wood (UNCP) 8-4
2. Otavia Bastos/Nicole Copp (USCA) def. Abi French/Erin Saltzman (UNCP) 8-1
3. Jessica Figgins/Shannon Gentry (UNCP) def. Kerry Donovan/Elly Toth (USCA) 8-1

Match Notes:
UNC Pembroke 8-6 (1-5 PBC)
USC Aiken 12-4 (4-3 PBC); National ranking #25; Regional ranking #7