THE FLATS — Using the momentum of winning a crucial doubles point, the 12th-ranked Georgia Tech women’s tennis team uprooted No. 6 Georgia on Friday night, 4-2. The win marked the first over Georgia at home since 2010 and the first back-to-back wins over the Bulldogs since 2005-06.
DOUBLES ACTION: In a crucial doubles point that came down to the final match, the Jackets proved victorious and came out with the 1-0 match lead, winning on courts one and three. On court one, Tech’s No. 4 duo of Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones held the 3-1 edge over No. 11 Elena Christofi/Morgan Coppoc. The Jackets served out the match, 6-3, to give Tech the edge in doubles play. But Georgia quickly evened the field, taking court two, 6-4, leaving the point to be decided on court three where Tech’s Ida Jarlskog/Johnnise Renaud battled back from a 3-1 deficit to go back on serve at 3-all. Georgia’s Annette Goulak/Kennedy Shaffer took a 5-4 lead, but the Jackets held serve to make it 5-5. Tech broke Georgia to take a 6-5 edge and Jarlskog served out the match for the 7-5 win, clinching the doubles point.
SINGLES ACTION: Georgia Tech took a quick 3-0 match lead winning in straight sets on courts six and four. Finishing first, Nami Otsuka pocketed a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Goulak before Jones downed No. 78 Coppoc, 6-2, 6-3.
Georgia drew the score to 3-2 taking the top two seeds next to finish. No. 25 Hourigan battled back in both sets, but could not overcome No. 6 Jokic, falling 6-4, 6-3. The Bulldogs picked up their second point of the afternoon at court two when No. 53 Shaffer defeated No. 83 Jarlskog, 6-4, 7-5.
All eyes turned to court three where Renaud was up a set over Eleni Christofi and led 4-2 in the second set. Christofi battled back and won four of the next five points to take a 6-5 lead, but Renaud held serve to move the set to 6-6 and force a tiebreak. Renaud won the tiebreak after Christofi was issued a penalty for being overruled five times by the official.
QUOTABLE: “It was a really tough match today. I think the doubles was really key for us. We were able to squeeze out the doubles point and I think that really set us up in singles. For us, the strength of our team is our depth. I thought Georgia played really well. We were just able to play a little better and get the ball over the line today.” — Head Coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Tech opens ACC play on Sunday, facing a quick turnaround as it travels to No. 19 Florida State. First serve is slated for noon.
No. 12 GEORGIA TECH VS. No. 6 GEORGIA RESULTS
Match Score: Georgia Tech 4, Georgia 2
DOUBLES
1. No. 4 Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones (GT) def. No. 11 Elena Christofi/Morgan Coppoc (UGA), 6-4
2. No. 8 Katarina Jokic/Mariana Gould (UGA) def. Victoria Flores/Nami Otsuka (GT), 6-4
3. Ida Jarlskog/Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Annette Goulak/Kennedy Shaffer (UGA), 7-5
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
SINGLES
1. No. 6 Katarina Jokic (UGA) def. No. 25 Paige Hourigan (GT) 6-4, 6-3
2. No. 53 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. No. 83 Ida Jarlskog (GT) 6-4, 7-5
3. Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Elena Christofi (UGA) 6-3, 7-6 (1-1) def.
4. Kenya Jones (GT) def. No. 78 Morgan Coppoc (UGA) 6-2, 6-3
5. Victoria Flores (GT) vs. No. 96 Mariana Gould (UGA) 4-6, 6-4, DNF
6. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Annette Goulak (UGA) 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 4, 1, 2, 3
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