THE FLATS – Facing its second top-10 ranked opponent this weekend, Georgia Tech won three singles matches on Sunday, but could not pull out a victory, falling, 4-3, to No. 9 Duke in the Ken Byers Tennis Complex. The Yellow Jackets dropped to 7-6 overall and 2-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play with the loss.
DOUBLES
With victories on courts one and three, Duke captured the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Court three handed the Blue Devils the early advantage as Georgia Drummy and Iuliia Bryzgalova won four straight games to take a 6-2 decision over Monika Dedaj and Rosie Garcia Gross. But the doubles field was quickly evened minutes later when Kylie Bilchev and Alejandra Cruz sealed a 6-2 win on court two over Karolina Berankova and Ellie Coleman. The Jackets raced out early, gaining momentum quickly with a break in the opening game. Bilchev and Cruz extended their lead to 5-1 and pocketed a 6-2 victory.
After trading doubles matches on two and three, the point was decided on court one where Chloe Beck and Cameron Morra led Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura, 4-2. Tech closed the deficit to 5-4, but the Blue Devils finished the match for a 6-4 win, clinching the doubles point for Duke.
SINGLES
Duke pushed its lead to 3-0, collecting straight-set wins on court four and six before Mahak Jain put the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard. Competing on court three, Jain picked up her 10th dual win of the season, defeating No. 24 Emma Jackson in straight-sets. Jain took a 3-2 lead in the first and never looked back, taking the set, 6-2. She opened the second set with a 3-0 advantage and downed Jackson, 6-2, setting up a 3-1 match score.
Bilchev held for a straight-set win on court two, drawing the Jackets within one. Facing Morra, Bilchev opened with a commanding lead in the first set, 4-2, and gained the set lead at 6-3. The Jacket held a 3-2 lead in the second set, but Morra rallied back to knot the set at 6-6. In the tiebreaker, Bilchev erased a 0-3 deficit and gained a 5-4 advantage. The Jacket clinched the win, 7-4, in the tiebreak, setting up a 3-2 match score.
But Duke clinched the match within minutes on court one. Facing her second top-three opponent in as many matches, Lee battled No. 3 Beck. Duke took an early break in the first set, 3-2, to hold for a 6-4 opener. But Lee rallied in the second set, and forced a tiebreak at 6-all. Beck took an early lead in the tiebreak, and held for a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory to clinch the overall match, 4-2.
Court five concluded play as Garcia Gross held for a three-set win over Bryzgalova. Garcia Gross dominated in the first set, 6-3, and led 5-3 in the second set. But Byrzgalova staged a late rally, fending off two match points and winning four consecutive games to take the second set, 7-5. The Jacket led 4-1 in the deciding set and pushed it out for a 6-4 win to account for the final 4-3 score.
Georgia Tech returns to the courts on Friday, March 17 when it plays host to Boston College. First serve is slated for 4 p.m. at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
RESULTS
DOUBLES
1. No. 25 Chloe Beck/Cameron Morra (DU) def. Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-4*
2. Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Karolina Berankova/Ellie Coleman (DU) 6-2
3. Georgia Drummy/Iuliia Bryzgalova (DU) def. Monika Dedaj/Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2,1*
*Clinched the doubles point
SINGLES
1. No. 3 Chloe Beck (DU) def. No. 8 Carol Lee (GT) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)^
2. No. 27 Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. No. 62 Cameron Morra (DU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. No. 99 Mahak Jain (GT) def. No. 24 Emma Jackson (DU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Georgia Drummy (DU) def. Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-4, 6-0
5. Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) def. Iuliia Bryzgalova (DU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
6. Ellie Coleman (DU) def. Ruth Marsh (GT) 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish: 4,6,3,2,1*,5
^Clinched the overall match
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