THE FLATS – In a four-hour battle, it all came down to Georgia Tech’s senior class in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets dropped the doubles point to SMU, but won the first three singles matches to gain the lead. However, the Mustangs rallied back, capturing a 4-3 decision, to conclude regular season action. The loss dropped Georgia Tech to 12-10 overall and 6-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
DOUBLES
SMU grabbed the doubles point with victories from courts two and three. The Mustangs wrapped up first on court three as Kayla Schefke and Arianna Stavropoulos jumped out with a 4-2 lead over Meera Jesudason and Kate Sharabura before taking the match, 6-3. SMU clinched the point from court two where Ellie Pittman and Drew Morris battled Alejandra Cruz and Given Roach. With SMU leading 4-2, the Jackets earned back a break, pulling the match with 4-3. But the Mustangs closed out the win, 6-3, to seal the early lead for SMU.
Kylie Bilchev and Scarlett Nicholson captured Tech’s only doubles win of the afternoon at the top position. The Yellow Jackets got off to a strong start against Caroline McGinley and Sophie Llewellyn, opening with a 4-0 lead. But the Mustangs rallied back to 4-3 before the Jackets closed out the win, 6-4.
SINGLES
Georgia Tech began to rally back, winning four first sets to open singles play. Freshman Taly Licht evened the match, putting the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard with a straight-set win on court five. Facing Kayla Schefke, the opponents battled back-and-forth in the opening set, remaining on serve at 4-all before Licht won the next two games to take the opener, 6-4. The Jacket cruised in the second set, dropping only one game for a 6-4, 6-1 triumph, tying the match at 1-1.
Cruz gave Georgia Tech the lead, picking up a straight-set win on court two over Drew Morris. Cruz broke open a 3-3 standstill in the first set, rattling off the next three games to take the set, 6-3. The Jacket carried momentum into the second set, jumping out with a 4-2 advantage and extending the lead into a 6-3, 6-2 victory, putting Georgia Tech in front, 2-1.
Nicholson cushioned Tech’s lead from the top position, pocketing a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Llewellyn. The opponents were on serve at 3-all in the first set before Nicholson won three-straight games to take the set, 6-3. It was a back-and-forth battle in the second set, resulting in a 4-4 tally. Nicholson pulled out the next two games to take the match, 6-3, 6-4, putting Georgia Tech up, 3-1.
SMU won the next two singles matches to tie the match at 3-apiece. The Mustangs picked up their first singles win to pull within one point in the match, 3-2, when Arianna Stavropoulos defeated Roach on court four, 7-6 (5), 6-4. SMU knotted the match at 3-3 from court three where Ellie Pittman pulled out a pair of tiebreak sets to defeat Sharabura, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (2).
All eyes turned to court six where Bilchev faced Caroline McGinley. The Jacket took the first set, 6-4, but McGinley forced a deciding set, winning the second, 7-5. The foes traded games back-and-forth to remain on serve at 5-all in the final set. McGinley held serve to take a 6-5 edge and clinched the match for SMU, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Georgia Tech will head to Cary, N.C. for the 2025 ACC Championships, slated to run April 15-20 at the Cary Tennis Park.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. No. 82 Scarlett Nicholson/Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. Caroline McGinley/Sophie Llewellyn (SMU) 6-4
2. Ellie Pittman/Drew Morris (SMU) def. No. 78 Alejandra Cruz/Given Roach (GT) 6-3*
3. Kayla Schefke/Arianna Stavropoulos (SMU) def. Meera Jesudason/Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,2*,1
Singles
1. No. 31 Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Sophie Llewellyn (SMU) 6-3, 6-4
2. No. 85 Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Drew Morris (SMU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Ellie Pittman (SMU) def. Kate Sharabura (GT) 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 7-6 (7-2)
4. Arianna Stavropoulos (SMU) def. Given Roach (GT) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
5. Taly Licht (GT) def. Kayla Schefe (SMU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Carolina McGinley (SMU) def. Kylie Bilchev (GT) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5*
Order of finish: 5,2,1,4,3,6*
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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