Jan. 25, 2015
THE FLATS – The #18 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team (1-1) dropped a close match to #19 Oklahoma State, 4-3, during the championship match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon.
“It was another tough, tough match,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “Oklahoma State is ranked behind us one spot and it came down to the last match. They have a really good team and I feel like we have a good team so it was some great tennis. There was some great tennis played all over the place. I think the girls fought hard, but we just came up a little short.”
The Yellow Jackets started off the match ahead, 1-0, after claiming the doubles point. Junior Natasha Prokhnevska and freshman Johnnise Renaud won their match on court three, easily defeating Oklahoma State’s Carla Tur Mari and Karyn Guttorsmen, 6-2.
On court two, junior Kendall Woodard and Paige Hourigan clinched with a 6-4 win over the Cowgirls’ pairing of Katarina Adamovic and Vladica Babic. The third doubles match was ended upon Tech’s wrapping up the point.
Oklahoma State took the first singles match as Adamovic defeated Rasheeda McAdoo, 6-1, 6-1, at the No. 3 spot. The Jackets jumped ahead to a 2-1 lead after Tech freshman Alexis Prokopuik took down Guttorsmen, 6-0, 6-2.
A win from Babic at the four spot against Woodward, 7-6, 6-0, tied the match up at 2-2. Oklahoma State took the lead when #10 Viktoriya Lushkova beat #63 Renaud, 6-3, 6-4, at the No. 1 position.
At the No. 2 spot, Hourgian came out strong against the Cowgirls’ Kelsey Laurente and took the first set 6-2. Hourgian fell behind and lost the second set, 2-6. The Yellow Jacket freshman outlasted Laurente to win the third set, 6-3, and tied the match up at 3-3.
All eyes were on court six as junior Megan Kurey battled Maria Alvarez. Kurey won the first set with ease, 6-2, but Alvarez rallied to take the second set, 6-4. Kurey fell in the third set, 6-3, and the Yellow Jackets lost their first match of the season.
“Our MVP for the day had to be Paige Hourrigan at two,” Harmon said. “It feels almost like deja vu from when we lost 4-3 last year in the championship match against Vanderbilt to go to Indoors. So it’s a bitter taste in the girls’ mouth right now. But we’re going to get back on the courts on Tuesday and get ready to start working again.”
The Jackets will resume play on Jan. 31 when they host USF at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex at 2 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
Oklahoma State vs Georgia Tech
Jan 25, 2015 at Atlanta, Ga.
(Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
#19 Oklahoma State 4, #18 Georgia Tech 3
Singles competition
1. #10 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) def. #63 Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-3, 6-4
2. #121 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. Kelsey Laurente (OSU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
3. #53 Katarina Adamovic (OSU) def. Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) 6-1, 6-1
4. Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Kendal Woodard (GT) 7-6 (7-2), 6-0
5. Alexis Prokopuik (GT) def. Karyn Guttorsmsen (OSU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Maria Alvarez (OSU) def. Megan Kurey (GT) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Rasheeda McAdoo/Alexis Prokopuik (GT) vs. #5 Viktoriya Lushkova/Kelsey Laurente (OSU) 5-4, unfinished
2. Kendal Woodard/Paige Hourigan (GT) def. Katarina Adamovic/Vladica Babic (OSU) 6-4
3. Natasha Prokhnevska/Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Carla Tur Mari/Karyn Guttorsmsen (OSU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Oklahoma State 3-0; National ranking #19
Georgia Tech 1-1; National ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,5,4,1,2,6)
Match played indoors
–TogetherWeSwarm–
