CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 20 Georgia Tech women’s tennis’ run in the ACC Championship concluded in the semifinals on Saturday as the Yellow Jackets dropped a hard-fought decision to No. 5 NC State, 5-0. The loss moved the Yellow Jackets to 15-9 overall this season.
DOUBLES
NC State swept doubles play to gain the early match lead. The Wolfpack claimed a 6-0 decision on court one before the point was clinched on court three. Rosie Garcia Gross and Carol Lee held a 4-2 lead over Sophie Abrams and Abigail Rencheli, but the Wolfpack rallied back to collect a 6-4 decision to seal the doubles point. At 5-4 on court two, the game was played out as Nell Miller and Amelia Rajecki claimed a 6-4 decision to complete the doubles action.
SINGLES
The Wolfpack quickly took a 2-0 advantage as Gina Dittman won on court six, 6-2, 6-1, against Kate Sharabura. NC State extended its lead to 3-0 as Bilchev couldn’t overcome Alana Smith on court two. The Jacket led early in the opening set, but Smith fought back, taking the match, 6-2, 6-4.
Within seconds of each other, NC State captured wins on courts three and one to seal the match. Clinching the decision from court three, Amelia Rajecki escaped with a 7-6 (2), 6-3 decision over Mahak Jain before Diana Shnaider pulled out a 6-3, 7-6 (3) decision against Lee at the top spot for the 5-0 final score. Jain stood on serve at 3-3 in the first set against Rajecki as the opponents traded games to a 6-all standstill. Rajecki took the first set in the tiebreak and led 3-2 in the second set before closing out the match, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
In a top-15 showdown at the top spot, Lee and Shnaider were on serve at 3-3 in the first set before Shnaider won three-straight games to take the opener, 6-3. Lee led Shnaider, 5-2, in the second set before the Wolfpack rallied back to force a tiebreak at 6-6. Shnaider took the match, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Alejandra Cruz and Garcia Gross were battling on courts four and five when play was suspended. Facing Rencheli on court four, Cruz erased a 4-1 deficit in the first set, knotting it at 4-4. She forced a tiebreak, but Rencheli held strong to lead 7-6 (4), 3-2 before the match was clinched. On court five, Garcia Gross split sets with Abrams, 3-6, 6-4, but trailed in the final set, 4-1.
The NCAA selection show will take place on Monday, May 1 at 6 p.m. on NCAA.com.
RESULTS
DOUBLES
1. No. 5 Diana Shnaider/Alana Smith (NCSU) def. No. 85 Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-0
2. Nell Miller/Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) def. Monika Dedaj/Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-4
3. Sophie Abrams/Abigail Rencheli (NCSU) def. Carol Lee/Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) 6-4*
Order of finish: 1,3*,2
*Clinched the doubles point
SINGLES
1. No. 12 Diana Shnaider (NCSU) def. No. 13 Carol Lee (GT) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
2. No. 15 Alana Smith (NCSU) def. No. 28 Kylie Bilchev (GT) 6-2, 6-4
3. No. 29 Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) def. No. 87 Mahak Jain (GT) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3^
4. No. 110 Alejandra Cruz (GT) vs. No. 76 Abigail Rencheli (NCSU) 6-7 (4), 2-3, DNF
5. Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) vs. Sophie Abrams (NCSU) 3-6, 6-4, 1-4, DNF
6. Gina Dittman (NCSU) def. Kate Sharabura (GT) 6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: 6,2,3^,1
^Clinched the overall match
Records: Georgia Tech (15-9), NC State (22-4)
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