College of Charleston Women’s Tennis Defeats USF 4-3 in Thrilling Matchup

Charleston, S.C. – The College of Charleston women’s tennis team secured a 4-3 victory over the University of South Florida Bulls on Thursday afternoon at the Turner Tennis Center, fueled by a dramatic comeback on court four.

The Cougars, now 8-5 on the season, initially established a strong lead, winning the doubles point and securing the first two singles matches. Francesca Salvato, a senior from Miami Beach, Florida, delivered a dominant performance at No. 3 singles, defeating Margherita Marcon 6-3, 6-2. According to the College of Charleston athletics website, Salvato was a First Team All-CAA Doubles selection in 2025 and CAA Player of the Week on April 2, 2024.

However, South Florida responded by winning three consecutive singles matches, taking a 3-2 lead. The Bulls’ Melisa Senli defeated Sia Cariov 7-5, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, whereas Amelie Drukerova won 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 over Marra Bruce at No. 5. Loana Vargas secured a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Riley Trinkle at No. 6.

The match’s outcome hinged on courts two and four. Oziera Ahmad, competing at No. 2 singles, rallied from a first-set loss to defeat Sienna Leeson 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, tying the overall score at 3-3.

All attention then turned to court four, where senior Jaiden McKee faced Francesca Miglio. Miglio initially gained a commanding 4-1 lead in the decisive third set. McKee, however, mounted a remarkable comeback, winning seven consecutive games to secure a 7-5 victory in the third set and clinch the match for the Cougars.

The Cougars secured the doubles point with victories at No. 1 and No. 2. Sia Cariov and Francesca Salvato defeated Francesca Miglio and Melisa Senli 6-4 at No. 1 doubles, while Oziera Ahmad and Riley Trinkle won 6-2 against Margherita Marcon and Loana Vargas at No. 2. The Bulls took the No. 3 doubles match, with Amelie Drukerova and Dharani Niroshan defeating Jaiden McKee and Saige Severance 6-3.

Charleston will return to action on Tuesday, March 24, hosting Elon in a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) match at 1 p.m.