ATHENS, Ga. – Battling intermittent rain showers, Georgia Tech women’s tennis battled No. 1 Georgia to the brink, but could not pull out the victory, dropping a 4-0 decision in the second round of the NCAA Championship. The Yellow Jackets conclude the season with a 14-12 record.
DOUBLES
In a highly-competitive doubles point, Georgia escaped with the early lead, capturing narrow 6-4 victories on a pair of courts. Alejandra Cruz and Kate Sharabura faced Guillermina Grant and Anastasiia Lopata on court two as Georgia grabbed an early break to take a 3-2 lead. The Yellow Jackets had a chance to answer back, but the Bulldogs held serve to closed out the match, 6-4.
The point was clinched from court three where Taly Licht and Given Roach battled Aysegul Mert and Hayden Mulberry. The opponents exchanged games to a 2-all standstill before Georgia broke for a 3-2 edge. The Jackets had two break opportunities to move back on serve, but Georgia fought off both and eventually secured the match, 6-4.
SINGLES
Tech’s Sharabura pulled out a 7-5 opening set on court three, but Georgia took five first sets to open singles play. Meanwhile, Scarlett Nicholson battled on court one against the nation’s second-ranked singles player Dasha Vidmanova, splitting sets before the match was clinched.
Tech’s rally was cut short as Georgia cushioned its lead with straight-set singles wins on courts five and four. Competing on court five, Licht faced Grant and the Bulldog jumped out with a 3-0 lead before taking the opening set, 6-3. Grant maintained control in the second set to secure the match, 6-3, 6-3.
Roach challenged Mert on court four, dropping a 6-2, 6-3 decision. Mert broke open a 2-2 knot in the first set, rattling off the next four games for the set and mirrored in the second, winning the final three games for the victory.
Georgia clinched the match from court six where Olivia Carneiro faced Sofia Rojas. The opponents were even in the first set at 4-apiece before Rojas squeaked out the next two games to take the set, 6-4. The second set mirrored the first with the foes standing at 4-4. Carneiro held for a 5-4 edge before Rojas fought off a break point to even the set at 5-5. Rojas won the next two games to seal the match, 6-4, 7-5, and clinching the victory for Georgia at 4-0.
Georgia Tech concluded the season making its 25th appearance in the NCAA Championship after advancing to the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship in April.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. No. 55 Scarlett Nicholson/Kylie Bilchev (GT) vs. No. 1 Dasha Vidmanova/Mell Reasco (UGA) 5-3, DNF
2. No. 68 Guillermina Grant/Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Alejandra Cruz/Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-4
3. Aysegul Mert/Hayden Mulberry (UGA) def. Taly Licht/Given Roach (GT) 6-4*
Order of finish: 2,3*
Singles
1. No. 28 Scarlett Nicholson (GT) vs. No. 2 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) 1-6, 6-2, 0-5, DNF
2. No. 90 Alejandra Cruz (GT) vs. No. 17 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) 4-6, 5-5, DNF
3. Kate Sharabura (GT) vs. Mell Reasco (UGA) 7-5, 2-6, 2-3, DNF
4. No. 42 Aysegul Mert (UGA) def. Given Roach (GT) 6-2, 6-3
5. No. 74 Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. Taly Licht (GT) 6-3, 6-3
6. Sofia Rojas (UGA) def. Olivia Carneiro (GT) 6-4, 7-5*
Order of finish: 5,4,6*
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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