April 16, 2011
ATLANTA – The No. 13 ranked Georgia Tech women’s tennis team improved to 12-8 overall and 5-5 in the ACC with a 7-0 sweep over the No. 52 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies (10-13, 2-8 ACC) on Saturday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center on the Georgia Tech campus.
“I thought we played well today and executed really well from about the middle of the doubles through to the end of the singles,” head coach Bryan Shelton said. “I thought we did some good things out there on the court and handled some strong winds very well. I was happy to see us limit our unforced errors. I thought we played a good solid match overall.”
Georgia Tech grabbed the early advantage by sweeping all three doubles matches, and taking a 1-0 lead into singles play. The Yellow Jackets improved to 12-0 this year when winning the doubles point. Earning the first victory for GT was the Jackets’ number two team of Lynn Blau and Elizabeth Kilborn, who posted an 8-5 victory over the Hokies Martha Blakely and Courtney Rauscher. Viet Ha Ngo and Sasha Krupina jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead on court three, but the Hokies’ pair of Shannon Betts and Katie Blow fought back to get within 4-3, before the Jackets’ tandem finished strong for an 8-4 win to clinch the doubles point.
The court one doubles match was back-and-forth early. The GT pair of Caroline Lilley and Jillian O’Neill swung the momentum in their favor by winning two straight early points to build a 5-3 lead. The Yellow Jackets’ top team finished off the clean sweep with an 8-4 win over the Hokies’ 45th-ranked team of Yasmin Hamza and Holly Johnson.
O’Neill kept the Yellow Jackets’ momentum going as she began singles play with a 6-3, 6-1 win over the Hokies’ No. 78 Yasmin Hamza on court one. Kilborn quickly followed with a 6-0, 6-2 win from the sixth spot of the lineup to put GT up 3-0.
Blau dominated Virginia Tech’s Holly Johnson in the first set, 6-1, and clinched a Georgia Tech team victory with a 6-4 second set win on court four. Playing from the number two singles position, Lilley earned a 6-3, 6-0 win over VT’s Martha Blakely to put the Jackets up 5-0.
Ngo battled through the first set for a 6-4 win and finished off a clean second set, 6-0, over Virginia Tech’s Shannon Betts on court three to put Georgia Tech up 6-0. Krupina finished off the team sweep of the Hokies with a 6-4, 6-0, win against Isel Martinez-Marcos on court five.
“I think we were mentally tough out there today, I think that was the best way to describe us,” Shelton said. “We just weren’t giving a lot of free points away even though the wind was blowing so hard. I was proud of that. Those are the type of matches you prepare for and hope you’re going to have throughout the season, but every win we’ve had this season has been tough. It was nice today to get a lead and be able to take care of it at the end.
“Every match is important,” Shelton added. “Every match you try to gain something from it. For us today, I think that was a little bit of a confidence booster and we need to take the momentum from today’s match into tomorrow against a very good Virginia team.”
Georgia Tech will finish the regular season tomorrow when the Yellow Jackets host No. 17 Virginia at noon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center. Prior to the match, Tech will celebrate Senior Day by honoring Sasha Krupina. In addition, the Yellow Jackets will present the 2010 Tech team with its ACC Championship rings.
Tomorrow’s match is free and open to the public.
Fans can follow Tech tennis on Twitter, @GT_WTEN, for instant updates and live scoring will be available through RamblinWreck.com.
Match Results
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
April 16, 2011 in Atlanta, Ga.
#13 Georgia Tech 7, #52 Virginia Tech 0
Singles competition:
1. #39 Jillian O’Neill (GT) def. #78 Yasmin Hamza (VT), 6-3, 6-1
2. #94 Caroline Lilley (GT) def. Martha Blakely (VT), 6-3, 6-0
3. #66 Viet Ha Ngo (GT) def. Shannon Betts (VT), 6-4, 6-0
4. Lynn Blau (GT) def. Holly Johnson (VT), 6-1, 6-4
5. Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Isel Martinez-Marcos (VT), 6-4, 6-2
6. Elizabeth Kilborn (GT) def. Emily Lauten (VT), 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition:
1. Caroline Lilley/Jillian O’Neill (GT) def. #45 Yasmin Hamza/Holly Johnson (VT), 8-4
2. Lynn Blau/Elizabeth Kilborn (GT) def. Martha Blakely/Courtney Rauscher (VT), 8-5
3. Viet Ha Ngo/Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Shannon Betts/Katie Blow (VT), 8-4
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 12-8, 5-5 ACC; National ranking #13
Virginia Tech 10-13, 2-8 ACC; National ranking #52
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,6,4,2,3,5)
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