THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s tennis picked up four singles wins on the opening day of main draw action of the ITA Southeast Regionals on Friday. With all three doubles teams earning first round byes, the Yellow Jackets played eight singles matches in the round of 64 at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
Alejandra Cruz was the first to collect a victory for Tech, controlling Melisa Senli of South Florida in straight-sets in the morning. After back-to-back breaks started the first set, Cruz held for a 2-1 lead and pushed her advantage out to 5-1. The junior sealed the first set, 6-2. Senli battled early on in the second set, but Cruz overpowered her opponent and took the match, 6-2, 6-2.
Kate Sharabura collected the second win for Georgia Tech as the senior pocketed a straight-set victory over Georgia State’s Sara Radojevic. The opponents battled in the first set and stood knotted at 5-5 before Sharabura won the next two games to take the opener, 7-5. Sharabura led 4-2 in the second set, but Radojevic did not go lightly, trading the next three games for a 5-4 tally in favor of the Jacket. Sharabura sealed the win, 7-5, 6-4.
Continuing her impressive start to her freshman season, Taly Licht shook off a slow start against Sara Sarinova (FAU). After dropping the first set 0-6, Licht jumped out with a 3-0 lead to start the second set. The Jacket pushed her advantage out to 4-1, but Sarinova fought back to tie the set at 4-all. Licht snapped the rally and evened the match with a 6-4 second set victory to force a deciding third set. Knotted at 4-apiece in the final set, Licht broke Sarinova’s serve to go up 5-4, but was unable to serve out the match, moving to 5-5. Licht broke through to win the next two games and take the match 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Rounding out the victories for the Yellow Jackets was Scarlett Nicholson who made quick work of Nicole Alfaro of North Florida. Nicholson did not drop a game in the first set, cruising to a 6-0 opener, and raced out with a 4-1 edge in the second set. The Jacket pocketed the match, 6-0, 6-3 to advance to the round of 32.
Four Jackets will move into the consolation bracket after Friday. Meera Jesudason had a battle in the opening round, taking on No. 31 Oyinlomo Quadre of FIU. Quadre gained a 5-1 lead in the first set before Jesudason rallied back, winning the next two games. But Quadre closed the set, 6-3, and took the second, 6-3. Kylie Bilchev also took the court for the first time this weekend, facing Hayden Mulberry of Georgia. Bilchev challenged the Bulldog in the first set as the pair remained in a standstill at 5-all, but Mulberry pulled out the first set, 7-5. Mulberry carried momentum into the second set to take the match, 7-5, 6-2.
Ginger Foster made her second tournament appearance on Friday, falling to Terezia Barianokova (KSU), 6-0, 6-3, while Given Roach faced off against Florida’s Alicia Dudeney. Roach and Dudeney traded the first two sets before Roach jumped out with a 5-0 lead in the final set. But Dudeney fought back, forcing a tiebreak at 6-all. The Gator took the breaker, 7-3, to win the match, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3).
Play continues on Saturday with the doubles round of 32 and singles rounds of 32 and 16. Action begins at 9 a.m.
RESULTS
Round of 64
No. 31 Oyinlomo Quadre (FIU) def. Meera Jesudason (GT) 6-3, 6-3
Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Melisa Senli (USF) 6-2, 6-2
No. 117 Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Sara Radojevic (GSU) 7-5, 6-4
Taly Licht (GT) def. Sara Sarinova (FAU) 0-6, 6-4, 7-5
Hayden Mulberry (UGA) def. No. 51 Kylie Bilchev (GT) 7-5, 6-2
No. 103 Alicia Dudeney (UF) def. Given Roach (GT) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3)
Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Nicole Alfaro (UNF) 6-0, 6-3
Terezia Barianokova (KSU) def. Ginger Foster (GT) 6-0, 6-3
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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