March 7, 2014
THE FLATS – The #23 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team (6-3, 3-1 ACC) battled their way to five singles wins to capture a 5-2 win against #46 Wake Forest (8-4, 1-4 ACC) at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex this afternoon.
“We got the win today against a really tough and very good Wake Forest team,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “They came in and wrapped up the doubles point away from us. From being down 1-0, they won at six and were up 2-0. We had to claw back. Muriel was able to get it started for us down on court five. She and Natasha got us back even at 2 all. Kendal was able to win to get us at 3-2 and Megan closed us at 4-2. Rasheeda made it 5-2.”
Sophomore Megan Kurey scored the clinching point with a 6-2, 7-5 singles win on court three. Kurey also paired up with doubles partner Kendal Woodard to record the Jackets’ only singles victory, defeating Xue Zhang and Kasey Gardiner, 8-4, at the number one spot. The #3-ranked doubles pair is now 6-2 during the duel match season.
“We played very well after playing not very well at Miami,” Harmon said. “We were glad to be able to come in and put a good win under our belts. We need to get ready to play Boston College at their place and then Maryland at their place.”
Tech started the dual match on their back foot, as the doubles point was decided 2-1 in favor of Wake Forest. Tech sophomore Nicole Gottret Murillo and freshman Rasheeda McAdoo lost the No. 3 spot, 8-2, to Kimmy Guerin and Andrea Retolaza,. The #49-ranked pairing of sophomore Natasha Prokhnevska and senior Muriel Wacker then fell in the longest doubles match of the day, losing to Samantha Asch and Luisa Fernandez 8-6 at court No. 2.
As singles play began, five out of six Yellow Jackets won their first set. Murillo fell to Kasey Gardiner on court six, 6-1, 6-0, but then Yellow Jackets roared to five straight singles victories. Prokhnevska raced to a 6-4, 6-1 triumph on court No. 1 over Retolaza, marking her first career victory on court number one. Next, Wacker defeated Zhang 6-2, 6-4 at the number five spot. Woodard then completed a three-set victory against Guerin, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
The attention then shifted to No. 3 and 4, where Kurey battled Asch and McAdoo was paired up against Fernandez, respectively. Kurey capped off a two-set victory by coming back from down 3-5 in the second set to win the match 6-2, 7-5. McAdoo played out her final set and won 7-5, 6-4.
The Yellow Jackets return to the road this week, traveling to Boston College on Friday and Maryland on Monday.
Fans are encouraged to follow Georgia Tech women’s tennis on Twitter, @GT_WTEN, and like the Yellow Jackets on Facebook, GTWomensTennis, for an inside look at the program.
Wake Forest vs Georgia Tech
Mar 07, 2014 at Atlanta, Ga.
(Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
#23 Georgia Tech 5, #46 Wake Forest 2
Singles competition
1. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) def. Andrea Retolaza (WF) 6-4, 6-1
2. #124 Kendal Woodard (GT) def. Kimmy Guerin (WF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
3. Megan Kurey (GT) def. Samantha Asch (WF) 6-2, 7-5
4. Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) def. Luisa Fernandez (WF) 7-5, 6-4
5. Muriel Wacker (GT) def. Xue Zhang (WF) 6-2, 6-4
6. Kasey Gardiner (WF) def. Nicole Gott-Murillo (GT) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #3 Kendal Woodard/Megan Kurey (GT) def. Xue Zhang/Kasey Gardiner (WF) 8-4
2. Samantha Asch/Luisa Fernandez (WF) def. Muriel Wacker/Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 8-6
3. Kimmy Guerin/Andrea Retolaza (WF) def. Rasheeda McAdoo/Nicole Gott-Murillo (GT) 8-2
Match Notes:
Wake Forest 8-4, 1-4 ACC; National ranking #46
Georgia Tech 6-3, 3-1 ACC; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,1,5,2,3,4)
–RamblinWreck.com–
