ORLANDO, Fla. – On the opening day of the NCAA Singles Championships, Carol Lee secured a spot in the round of 32 on Tuesday, pocketing a straight-set victory at the USTA National Campus.
Lee got the session started off facing UCF’s Marie Mattel for the third time this season. The Yellow Jacket went up an early break against the Knight, grabbing a 2-1 advantage in the opening set. But Mattel rallied back to knot the set at 3-all to move back on serve. The rally was short-lived, however, as Lee gained a 4-3 advantage with a break in the next service game. She extended her lead to 5-3 before Mattel held serve at 5-4, but Lee closed out the set at 6-4.
In a mirror of the first set, Lee and Mattel stood tied at 3-3 in the second set before the Jacket won the next two games for a 5-3 advantage. Mattel held serve at 5-4 before Lee sealed the match, 6-4.
After a four-hour weather delay, Kylie Bilchev finally took the court indoors at 9:15 p.m. against Auburn’s Ariana Arseneault. The Jacket grabbed an early break in the first set to take a 2-1 lead, but Arseneault moved back on serve at 2-all. Knotted at 3-3, Arseneault won the next two games for a 5-3 advantage and took the first set, 6-4.
But Bilchev regrouped and gained momentum in the second set. The Jacket and Tiger exchanged the first two games before Bilchev won three-straight for a 4-1 lead. But Arseneault responded taking the next two games to slice the score to 4-3. Serving at 5-4, Bilchev had a chance to seal the set, but Arseneault stayed alive and knotted the set at 5-5. The opponents traded the next two games to force a tiebreak at 6-6. Bilchev shook off an early 0-2 deficit and gained momentum at 4-4, winning the next three points to take the set, 7-6 (4), and force a deciding third set.
Bilchev jumped out with a 3-0 lead in the final set before Arseneault won the next five games for a 5-3 advantage. The Jacket held serve in the next game but Arseneault served out the match, 6-4.
Lee returns to the courts on Tuesday in the round of 32 and will face Tennessee’s No. 21 Elza Tomase at 9 a.m.
RESULTS
Round of 64
No. 15 Carol Lee (GT) def. No. 37 Marie Mattel (UCF) 6-4, 6-4
No. 32 Ariana Arseneault (Auburn) def. No. 31 Kylie Bilchev (GT) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4
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