Feb. 21, 2015
ATHENS, Ga. – The #23 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team (3-3) fell in its first road match of the season, 4-1, at in-state rival #3 Georgia (7-3) on Saturday afternoon.
“Georgia has a very, very talented team that has a ton of confidence,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “They just came off reaching the finals of national indoors. I thought we played excellent in doubles today. We won the doubles point but they regrouped really quickly. They came out and controlled each of the singles matches. They have a great team and they proved today that they are one of the top teams in the nation.”
The Yellow Jackets started off the match with a 1-0 advantage after winning the doubles point for the fifth time of the season.
In their first match together this season, the doubles duo of juniors Kendal Woodard and Megan Kurey fell to the #22-ranked doubles pair of Lauren Herring and Ellen Perez, 8-1, on court one.
Freshman Johnnise Renaud and junior Natasha Prokhnevska took a 7-3 lead against Hannah King and Caroline Brinson on court three, but King and Brinson battled back to make it 7-7. Renaud and Prokhnevksa held off Brinson and King to win a tight battle, 9-7, and tie up doubles.
Sophomore Rasheeda McAdoo and freshman Alexis Prokpuik took down #13 Silvia Garcia and Kennedy Shaffer, 8-5, to clinch the doubles point for the Jackets and put Tech ahead, 1-0.
Georgia then won four straight singles matches to secure a 4-1 victory.
“We have to get back to the drawing board and build on the success we had in doubles and some of the good plays that we had in singles,” Harmon said. “We have to get ready for a really tough match against number one North Carolina on Friday.”
On court one, #68 Renaud fell to #12 Herring, 6-2, 6-3. Shortly after, Prokhnevska suffered a 6-4, 6-2, loss at the number to spot to #74 Perez. Woodard also fell in straight-sets on court three, 6-4, 6-1, to #52 Kennedy Shaffer.
The match was clinched in favor of Georgia when #103 Caroline Brinson defeated McAdoo, 6-1, 6-1, at the number six spot.
Play was stopped after the Bulldogs clinched the match, but Kurey was in a battle on court four against #88 Garcia. Garcia won set one, 6-2, but Kurey fought her way back to win set two, 7-5. Garcia was up, 3-2, in set three before the match was called. On court five, #39 Hannah King held a 6-0, 4-2, advantage against Prokopuik.
The Yellow Jackets continue to stay on the road and open up ACC play, traveling to North Carolina on Friday at 3 p.m. and NC State on Sunday at noon.
Tennis Match Results
Georgia Tech vs University of Georgia
Feb 21, 2015 at Athens, Ga.
(Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility)
#3 University of Georgia 4, #23 Georgia Tech 1
Singles competition
1. #12 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. #68 Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-2, 6-3
2. #74 Ellen Perez (UGA) def. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 6-4, 6-2
3. #52 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. Kendal Woodard (GT) 6-4, 6-1
4. #88 Silvia Garcia (UGA) vs. Megan Kurey (GT) 6-2, 5-7, 3-2, unfinished
5. #39 Hannah King (UGA) vs. Alexis Prokopuik (GT) 6-0, 4-2, unfinished
6. #103 Caroline Brinson (UGA) def. Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #22 Lauren Herring/Ellen Perez (UGA) def. Kendal Woodard/Megan Kurey (GT) 8-1
2. Rasheeda McAdoo/Alexis Prokopuik (GT) def. #13 Silvia Garcia/Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) 8-5
3. Johnnise Renaud/Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) def. Hannah King/Caroline Brinson (UGA) 9-7
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 3-3; National ranking #23
University of Georgia 7-3; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,2,3,6)
T-3:43 A-387
–TogetherWeSwarm–
