Feb. 6, 2016
Athens, Ga. – Georgia Tech won the doubles point, but dropped all six singles matches Saturday as 11th-ranked Georgia defeated the 44th-ranked Yellow Jackets, 6-1, Saturday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The Yellow Jackets (3-3) lost for the second time in as many matches after winning the doubles point, having done the same last week at South Carolina. Tech has lost three straight, falling on the home courts of No. 12 UCLA, No. 59 South Carolina and now No. 11 Georgia the last three weekends. The Bulldogs improved to 3-1.
Tech was able to win the doubles point despite a loss from its top team of Casey and Michael Kay, ranked 36th in the nation. Christopher Eubanks and Carlos Benito gave Tech the upper hand with a 6-3 win over Paul Oosterbaan and Jan Zielinski, and the Jackets secured the point when Nathan Rakitt and Andrew Li upset the Bulldogs’ Wayne Montgomery and Emil Reinberg, the 45th-ranked team in the nation, 6-4. Austin Smith and Ben Wagland, ranked 10th in the nation, played out their match with the Kay brothers and earned a 6-4 victory.
Like last week, the Yellow Jackets were unable to carry over the momentum, dropping first sets at the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions. Smith, ranked 28th, got Georgia’s first point with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Benito on court 2, while Zielinski put the Bulldogs in front with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Li on court 3. Cole Fiegel fought to a third set on court 4 but lost to the 40th-ranked Oosterbaan, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Georgia scored the clinching point when Montgomery, ranked 20th in the nation, handed the sixth-ranked Eubanks his first loss of the spring, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, on court 1. The Bulldogs finished off the match with straight-set wins at the fifth and sixth positions.
Tech returns to action next weekend with three home matches at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex, beginning with a 5 p.m. contest Friday against No. 56 Auburn.
HEAD COACH Kenny Thorne SAYS – “We came out and played some good doubles again. We were solid for the first hour and a half singles. We had seven break points at No. 2 singles but couldn’t convert. We were up a break at No. 3 and didn’t solidify. We got back in match at No. 4 by winning the second set but went down a break in the fifth game of third and couldn’t break back. We were on them at No. 1 and didn’t close the door. We played at a high level, but need to be more comfortable sustaining that level. The way you do that is practice hard every minute of practice. These guys will do well this year. It will be good getting back home against Auburn.”
#11 Georgia 6, #44 Georgia Tech 1
Feb. 6, 2016 at Athens, Ga.
(Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Tennis Courts)
Singles competition
1. #20 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. #6 Christopher Eubanks (GT) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. #28 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Carlos Benito (GT) 7-5, 6-4
3. Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Andrew Li (GT) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
4. #40 Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) def. Cole Fiegel (GT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Casey Kay (GT) 6-3, 6-3
6. #88 Nick Wood (UGA) def. Daniel Yun (GT) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #10 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) def. #36 Michael Kay/Casey Kay (GT) 6-4
2. Christopher Eubanks/Carlos Benito (GT) def. Paul Oosterbaan/Jan Zielinski (UGA) 6-3
3. Nathan Rakitt/Andrew Li (GT) def. #45 Wayne Montgomery/Emil Reinberg (UGA) 6-4
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 3-3; National ranking #44
Georgia 3-1; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,5,6)
T-3:15 A-1037
