UTC adds Gazzola and other sports news

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

The UTC women's tennis team is receiving help from Rafael Nadal's island for the spring semester. Coach Jeff Clark announced Friday that Rachele Gazzola enrolled this week and will be eligible to play when the team resumes its schedule on Jan. 20 at Austin Peay. The native of Cueno, Italy, lives in Palma de Mallorca, Spain -- where pro men's star Nadal resides. Gazzola has played in ITF Futures events in Spain, according to the UTC release, and reached the singles final at the 2011 Baleareic Championships. "We are excited that Rachele has joined our tennis program," Clark said in the release. "She is a talented player who will strengthen our team. She has a bright future as a tennis player." The Lady Mocs already had eight of the nine letter winners back from last year's team that went 18-5 in 2013; that was the program's best victory total since 1991.

Basketball

• Scoring 13 of the game's last 16 points, Methodist won 72-63 in USA South women's basketball Friday night at Covenant College, and the visiting men completed the doubleheader sweep with a 63-57 victory featuring a 20-5 spurt to start the second half. Jessie Blankenship had 23 points and 16 rebounds for the Lady Scots, while Aleigha Williams added 14 points and seven rebounds, Alexis Storteboom scored 10 points and Kiaira Cooper provided six assists. Jackie Lyles had 21 points, 10 rebounds and four steals for the Monarchs (7-1, 3-0), and Ayanna Pegues had 16 points and three steals. Nate Frierson's and Ben Phelps' 10 points apiece and Chris Boyd's four blocks with seven rebounds led the Scots (6-7, 1-2). Bryan Hockaday had 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Methodist (4-9, 2-1).

• Elizabeth Bromirski had 19 points and 15 rebounds to lead Birmingham-Southern to a 56-37 win at Sewanee in Southern Athletic Association women's basketball Friday, but the Sewanee rose to 6-0 at home with a 58-54 victory. Casey Hassett had four blocks with her eight points for Sewanee's women, and Kayla Sewell had 11 rebounds and three steals. Jorden Williams scored 17 points and Seth Brown had 15 rebounds with 12 points for the male Tigers (7-4, 1-1). Keshonn Carter scored 10 points. Griffin Schamp had 20 points and seven rebounds and Larry Thomas had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Panthers (7-4, 1-1).

• Jamesha Mosley had 22 points and 18 rebounds as the Cleveland State women's basketball team rose to 14-1 with an 84-62 win Friday over the Montreat junior varsity in North Carolina. Jara Gasper added 13 points and Brandi Whitted had seven steals and four assists for the Lady Cougars.