THE FLATS – Three Georgia Tech women’s doubles teams proved victorious on Saturday, advancing to the round of 16, on day three of the ITA Southeast Regionals at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex. Saturday action featured one round of doubles and two rounds of singles play.
The Yellow Jackets opened the morning sweeping all three doubles matches handedly to get the day started off on a strong note. Kate Sharabura and Scarlett Nicholson dominated Georgia State’s Pragnya Kumar and Sveva Bernardi, grabbing a 5-0 lead to start the match before the Panthers got on the scoreboard. The Jackets closed the win 8-2 for a comfortable victory.
Wrapping up next, Alejandra Cruz and Given Roach took on South Florida’s Josefine Falster and Charlotte Ruud. The Yellow Jacket pair claimed a 5-2 lead over the Bulls to get a jumpstart on the match and maintained control for an 8-5 triumph. Kylie Bilchev and Meera Jesudason completed Tech’s trio of doubles wins, downing Nikola Daubnerova and Noemie Oliveras of Florida, 8-5. Continuing with the theme of the morning, Bilchev and Jesudason grabbed an early 4-1 lead and pushed their advantage out to 5-2. The doubles duo sealed the victory, 8-5.
The afternoon featured the singles rounds of 32 and 16, in addition to consolation action. Sharabura carried momentum over from doubles action to pick up a three-set singles win against Isabella Colmenares (FGCU). The Jacket took the first set, 6-2, but Colmenares evened the match, winning the second set, 6-1. Sharabura pulled out the match, cruising in the final set, 6-2, to advance to the round of 16. The senior faced a quick turnaround to face Georgia’s Guillermina Grant in the next round, dropping a 6-0, 6-1 decision.
Cruz and Taly Licht fought to three set battles in the round of 32, but couldn’t pull out the victories, while Nicholson fell 6-2, 6-4 to Aysegul Mert (UGA) to complete Tech’s quartet of Jackets in second round action.
In consolation action, Tech pocketed three-of-four matches, collecting wins from Bilchev, Jesudason and Roach, all in straight-sets.
Play continues on Sunday with the doubles rounds of 16 and quarterfinals, and singles quarterfinals.
RESULTS
Singles
R32: Victoria Gomez O’Hayon (FAU) def. Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-2, 2-6, 6-0
R32: Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Isabella Colmenares (FGCU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
R32: Aya El Aouni (UCF) def. Taly Licht (GT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
R32: Aysegul Mert (UGA) def. Scarlett Nicholson (GT) 6-2, 6-4
R16: Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-0, 6-1
Consolation
Meera Jesudason (GT) vs. Cade Cricchio (FSU) 6-2, 6-1
Given Roach (GT) vs. Donatella Guarnieri (UCF) 6-3, 6-0
Kylie Bilchev (GT) vs. Marina De Diego Quinones (Mercer) 6-1, 6-0
Maria Paredes (GSU) def. Ginger Foster (GT) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
R32: Kylie Bilchev/Meera Jesudason (GT) def. Nikola Daubnerova/Noemie Oliveras (UF) 8-5
R32: Alejandra Cruz/Given Roach (GT) def. Josefine Falster/Charlotte Ruud (USF) 8-5
R32: Kate Sharabura/Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Pragnya Kumar/Sveva Bernardi (GSU) 8-2
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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