March 31, 2007
ATLANTA – Amanda McDowell earned a three-set victory after dropping her first set to lead No. 7 Georgia Tech (14-4, 5-1 ACC) to a 4-3 win over No. 13 North Carolina (16-6, 4-2 ACC) Saturday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.
With the Jackets leading 3-2 in the match, the rookie from Atlanta pulled out a second-set win in a tiebreaker and held on for her 14th dual-match win of the season to help Georgia Tech to its fifth-straight Atlantic Coast Conference victory of the season.
The Tar Heels took the early 1-0 lead when their doubles tandem of Austin Smith and Meg Fanjoy defeated Tarryn Rudman and Kirsten Flower, 8-6, at the third doubles line after the Jackets and Heels split the first two doubles matches.
UNC’s 11th-ranked duo, Jenna Long and Sara Anundsen, stopped Tech’s No. 8 tandem of Kristi Miller and Whitney McCray, 8-4, to begin the day, but the Jackets’ second doubles line of Alison Silverio and Amanda Craddock downed Caitlin Collins and Sanaz Marand, 8-5, to set up the third doubles slot for the deciding point.
Ninety-ninth ranked Amanda Craddock tied the match at 1-1 by breezing to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Collins at the third singles line, but UNC regained the lead when fifth-ranked Long stopped No. 7 Miller, 7-6, 6-2, at the top singles spot.
The Jackets tied the match at 2-2 when 44th-ranked Christy Striplin defeated No. 98 Smith, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 5 singles spot, and Tech forged ahead, 3-2, when 75th-ranked Tarryn Rudman downed No. 51 Marand, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 at the No. 6 position.
The Yellow Jackets will now turn their attention to 20th-ranked Duke, with the two teams squaring off Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Bill Moore Tennis Center in Georgia Tech’s final home ACC match of the season.
Tennis Match ResultsNorth Carolina vs Georgia TechMar 31, 2007 at Atlanta, Ga.
#7 Georgia Tech 4, #13 North Carolina 3
Singles competition1. #5 Jenna Long (NC) def. #7 Kristi Miller (GT) 7-6, 6-22. #55 Katrina Tsang (NC) def. #116 Alison Silverio (GT) 6-7, 6-4, 6-43. #99 Amanda Craddock (GT) def. Caitlin Collins (NC) 6-2, 6-04. #121 Amanda McDowell (GT) def. Sara Anundsen (NC) 2-6, 7-6, 6-45. #44 Christy Striplin (GT) def. #98 Austin Smith (NC) 6-3, 6-36. #75 Tarryn Rudman (GT) def. #51 Sanaz Marand (NC) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
Doubles competition1. #11 Anundsen/Long (NC) def. #8 Whitney McCray/Miller (GT) 8-42. Craddock/Silverio (GT) def. Collins/Marand (NC) 8-53. Meg Fanjoy/Smith (NC) def. Kirsten Flower/Rudman (GT) 8-6
Match Notes:North Carolina 16-6, 4-2 ACC; National ranking #13Georgia Tech 14-4, 5-1 ACC; National ranking #7Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,1,5,6,4,2)
