Nov. 9, 2001
ATLANTA — The Georgia Tech women’s tennis team began competition in the Midwest Blast Tournament in Champagne, Ill., on Friday afternoon by competing in singles play against Illinois and in doubles against Ohio State. The three-day event is being contested at the Atkins Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Illinois, and is following a mock dual-match format.
The Yellow Jackets opened the day in singles play against the host Illini, and won three of seven matches in the morning session. The top win of the day for Tech came from junior Jaime Wong, who downed 70th-ranked Jennifer McGaffigan in straight sets. Wong won the first seat with ease by a 6-2 score, and then cruised to the match win by claiming the second set 6-3.
Tech’s second winner of the day was senior Laura Ozolins, who downed Kate Boomershine in straight sets, claiming a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Junior Mason Miller was the Jackets’ final singles winner of the day, as she downed Illinois’ Erin Miller in convincing fashion by a 6-1, 6-0 score. Miller dropped her second match of the day to Eva Choe in a three-set affair, falling by a score of 6-4, 1-6, 6-10. Yellow Jacket freshman Catherine Gunn battled the Illini’s Eva Choe to three sets before falling by a 2-6, 6-2, 2-6 score.
The final Tech singles player in the event was sophomore Kristen Roberson, who was unable to claim a win in either of her matches on Friday. She dropped the first match to Tiffany Eklov by a 1-6, 6-0, 4-6 score before falling in her second match with Jennifer McGaffigan by a 4-6, 2-6 count.
The Buckeyes proved to be too much for Tech in doubles play, as the Yellow Jackets dropped all three of their matches in the afternoon session. Tech’s team of Wong and Miller were the closest to claiming a win, as they fell to Ohio State’s Sadhaf Pervez and Monica Rincon by a 7-9 score. The Jackets’ duo of Gunn and Ozolins also were unable to claim a win, falling to Erica Fisk and Lindsay Williams by an 8-5 score. Wong and Gunn then teamed up and were unable to defeat Pervez and Fisk, dropping an 8-4 decision.
The Midwest Blast will continue on Saturday morning with singles play to be followed by doubles action in the afternoon. Full tournament results are available at www.fightingillini.com.
