Feb. 21, 2014
The #25 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team (4-1, 1-0 ACC) rallied from being down 3-1, to defeat #22 Notre Dame, 4-3, and capture its first ACC victory of the season.
“We fought very hard today against a very good team,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “Notre Dame beat us twice last year. They beat us once last year in a tight match at Nebraska and then again during the regular season. We played very well in doubles and they came out firing in singles at home. We were able to scrape our way back to get the win.”
Sophomore Natasha Prokhnevska’s singles win at the number two spot clinched the Yellow Jackets’ first conference win of the season. This is the second-straight match that Prokhnevska’s singles win clinched a match for the Jackets. The Jackets are now 3-1 against ranked opponents this season.
“Kendal played a great match after losing the first set 6-1 and then coming back to win the next two sets,” Harmon said. “Muriel did a great job closing on court six. Natasha was down 5-3 and was at match point but she was able to save those match points and we were able to win the match. It was a good win and it gives us good momentum. We need to get some rest and prepare for a tough match at home on Sunday against Georgia.”
With the match tied, 3-3, the deciding point came down to the match on court two between Prokhnevska and #99 Quinn Gleason. Gleason took set one, 6-3, but Prokhnevska answered with a 6-3 win of her own in set two. Set three was a battle between the two opponents. Prokhnevska was up 3-2, before Gleason won the next two games to go ahead, 4-2. Gleason took a 5-3 lead, before Prokhnevska rallied to win the next four games to win set three, 7-5, and clinch the victory for Tech.
The Yellow Jackets won the doubles point for the fourth time this season to start off the match with a 1-0 lead. The #1-ranked doubles pair of sophomore Kendal Woodard and Megan Kurey took down #27 Quinn Gleason and Britney Sanders, 8-5. It was the pair’s 14th-straight doubles win. Woodard and Kurey are 4-0 in dual matches and 9-3 against nationally ranked opponents this season.
On court two, Prokhnevska and Wacker defeated their first ranked doubles opponent of the season, tallying an 8-5 win against #41 Jennifer Kellner and Monica Robinson.
Notre Dame would rally off three-straight singles wins to jump ahead, 3-1, in the match. On court three, Kurey suffered her first singles loss of the season, falling 6-0, 6-1, to Kellner.
At the number five spot, Mary Closs defeated sophomore Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer, 6-2, 6-4, while freshman Rasheeda McAdoo fell to #105 Monica Robinson, 6-1, 6-2 on court four.
Senior Muriel Wacker jump started the Jackets’ comeback on court six. Against Julie Vrabel, Wacker won set one, 6-3. Vrabel came back to win set two, 6-2, but Wacker won her third match this season after claiming set three, 6-2.
Woodard, who is ranked #94 in singles, battled it out against #119 Sanders for a victory on court one. After falling in the first set, 6-1, Woodard edged Sanders, 7-6, in the second set. Woodard won set three, 6-4, to improve to 3-1 in singles and tie the match up, 3-3.
The Yellow Jackets return home to host #7 Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex. The first 50 students at the Georgia match will receive a #THWG t-shirt. Fans in attendance will receive a gold/white shaker while supplies last.
Due to the high volume of events surrounding Georgia Tech Athletics this weekend, free parking for women’s tennis fans will be available in Family Housing (ER66) deck. The Family Housing deck is located off of 10th street across from the Ken Byers Tennis Center.
#25 Georgia Tech 4, #22 Notre Dame 3
Singles competition 1. #94 Kendal Woodard (GT) def. #119 Britney Sanders (ND) 1-6, 7-6, 6-4
2. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) def. #99 Quinn Gleason (ND) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. Jennifer Kellner (ND) def. Megan Kurey (GT) 6-0, 6-1
4. #105 Monica Robinson (ND) def. Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) 6-1, 6-2
5. Mary Closs (ND) def. Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer (GT) 6-2, 6-4
6. Muriel Wacker (GT) def. Julie Vrabel (ND) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #1 Kendal Woodard/Megan Kurey (GT) def. #27 Quinn Gleason/Britney Sanders (ND) 8-5
2. Natasha Prokhnevska/Muriel Wacker (GT) def. #41 Jennifer Kellner/Monica Robinson (ND) 8-5
3. Rasheeda McAdoo/Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer (GT) def. Mary Closs/Julie Sabacinski (ND) 6-5
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 3-1; National ranking #25
Notre Dame 5-2; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,5,4,6,1,2)
–RamblinWreck.com–
