CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On day two of the NCAA Championships, Georgia Tech’s doubles team of Ava Hrastar and Kylie Bilchev secured a spot in the round of 16 on Wednesday. The Jackets were also represented by Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura in Champaign, Ill., at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.
In the second round of singles action, Lee pushed top-seeded Emma Navarro of Virginia to the brink, but couldn’t pull out the victory. On serve in the early going, Navarro earned a break to take a 4-2 lead and pushed her lead out to 5-2. But Lee rallied, winning the next two games before the Cavalier sealed the first set, 6-4. Navarro came out with a 4-1 advantage in the second set before Lee fought back to a 5-4 tally and moved back on serve at 5-all. Navarro took the next game for a 6-5 edge and held a pair of match points, but Lee held strong to force a tiebreak at 6-6. Navarro proved victorious in the tiebreak, 7-2, to take the match.
Doubles competition also got underway on Tuesday with the Jackets represented by a pair of teams. Facing No. 12 Ayumi Miyamoto and Lisa Rioux from Oklahoma State, Lee and Sharabura fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1.
Tech’s second doubles team of Hrastar and Bilchev opened play facing No. 23 Carly Briggs and Marlee Zein from Florida. The Jackets played a competitive first set against the Gators. Trailing 6-5, Hrastar and Bilchev won a deuce point to knot the set at 6-all. In the tiebreak, the Jackets opened with a 4-1 lead and sealed the set lead, 7-2. The teams remained on serve in the second set at 4-4 before the Jackets held serve for a 5-4 edge. Tech broke the Gators in the next game to seal the victory, 6-4, and clinch a spot in the round of 16.
UP NEXT
With their opening round win, Hrastar and Bilchev advanced to Wednesday’s round of 16 action. The Jackets will face Baylor’s seventh-ranked team of Alicia Herrero Linana and Melany Krywoj.
RESULTS
No. 1 Emma Navarro (UVA) def. No. 22 Carol Lee (GT) 6-4, 7-6 (2)
No. 36 Ava Hrastar/Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. No. 23 Carly Briggs/Marlee Zein (Florida) 7-6 (2), 6-4
No. 12 Ayumi Miyamoto/Lisa Rioux (Okla. State) def. No. 4 Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-0, 6-1
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 25
No. 36 Ava Hrastar/Kylie Bilchev (GT) vs. No. 7 Alicia Herrero Linana/Melany Krywoj (BAY)
NCAA Championships - May 24, 2022
Photos by Ricky Bassman
