WEXFORD, Pa. – The No. 2 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team battled back from dropping the doubles point at Pittsburgh to sweep all six singles matches in straight sets to pocket a 6-1 win Friday afternoon. With the win, Tech improved to 17-4 overall and 9-2 in ACC play.
DOUBLES ACTION: For just the fifth time this season, Tech dropped the doubles point as Pitt took wins at the top two seeds to clinch the early lead. Mixing up its doubles lineups, Tech pitted No. 61 Victoria Flores and Ida Jarlskog against No. 87 Callie Frey/Camila Moreno at the top seed. Pitt came out with a 5-0 lead before the Jackets got on the board and the Panthers claimed the match, 6-2. Pitt clinched the point from the two seed where Clara Lucas and Claudia Bartolome defeated Johnnise Renaud/Nami Otsuka, 6-3.
SINGLES ACTION: Tech would need to rebound from dropping the doubles point and win four singles matches to clinch the victory. Kenya Jones got things rolling, competing in her first match from the No. 1 position. Ranked No. 74, Jones pocketed a straight set win over Pitt’s Gabriela Rezende, 6-1, 6-3, to put Tech on the scoreboard and even the match at 1-all.
Renaud secured Tech’s first lead of the match, winning from the No. 2 spot over Moreno. The senior downed the Panther, 6-4, 6-3, to put Tech in the lead, 2-1. Jarlskog pushed Tech’s lead out to 3-1, claiming a pair of 6-3 set wins over Bartolome from the three seed before Otsuka clinched the match for Tech from the four seed. Otsuka fell behind 4-1 in the first set, but battled back to knot the match at 6-all. After winning the tiebreak, 7-4, Otsuka found herself trailing in the second set, 4-2. The Jacket persevered to win the set, 7-5, and clinch the match at 4-1 for Tech.
Gizdova extended Tech’s lead to 5-1, securing her match also in straight sets. Facing Lucas, Gizdova rolled to a 6-2 first set win and claimed the match with a 7-6 (7-2) second set victory. Flores wrapped up play from the five seed. The freshman pocketed a 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over Callie Frey to seal the 6-1 victory for Tech.
QUOTABLE: “The match was tougher than the score. Pitt outplayed us in doubles, but we came out and played well in singles. Now we will get a quick rest and head to Boston College on Sunday.” – head coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Tech continues this road swing, visiting Boston College on Sunday. First serve is slated for 11 a.m.
No. 2 GEORGIA TECH at PITTSBURGH RESULTS
Match Score: Georgia Tech 6, Pittsburgh 1
DOUBLES
1. No. 87 Callie Frey/Camila Morena (PITT) def. No. 61 Victoria Flores/Ida Jarlskog (GT) 6-2
2. Clara Lucas/Claudia Bartolome (PITT) def. Johnnise Renaud/Nami Otsuka (GT) 6-3
3. Natsumi Okamoto/Gabriela Rezende (PITT) vs. Kenya Jones/Nadia Gizdova (GT) 5-4, DNF
Order of finish: 1,2
SINGLES
1. No. 74 Kenya Jones (GT) def. Gabriela Rezende (PITT) 6-1, 6-3
2. Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Camila Moreno (PITT) 6-4, 6-3
3. Ida Jarlskog (GT) def. Claudia Bartolome (PITT) 6-3, 6-3
4. Nami Otsuka (GT) vs. Natsumi Okamoto (PITT) 7-6 (7-4), 7-5
5. Victoria Flores (GT) vs. Callie Frey (PITT) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Nadia Gizdova (GT) def. Clara Lucas (PITT) 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 5
Records: Georgia Tech (17-4, 9-2 ACC); Pittsburgh (6-12, 0-11 ACC)
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