THE FLATS – Victoria Flores pocketed a straight-set win over a ranked opponent on court three, but it wasn’t enough as No. 22 Georgia Tech dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 3 Georgia Thursday afternoon. The loss pushed Tech to 8-1 on the young season.
DOUBLES ACTION: Tech dropped the doubles point for the first time this season as Georgia took matches on courts three and one to claim the early lead. The Lady Bulldogs tandem of Morgan Coppoc and Lea Ma wrapped up first, claiming a 6-1 victory over Monika Dedaj and Sophia Sassoli on court three. With Gia Cohen and Nami Otsuka up, 5-3, on court two, Georgia clinched the doubles point from court one before the Jackets could finish their match. Katarina Jokic and Anna Hertel took a 3-0 lead on court one over No. 51 Kenya Jones and Victoria Flores, but the Jackets battled back to a 4-3 tally. UGA broke Tech in the next game to take a 5-3 edge and served out the match, 6-3, to clinch the point.
SINGLES ACTION: Georgia took a 2-0 lead with a straight-set win on court six before No. 19 Lea Ma collected a win on court two for a 3-0 Lady Bulldogs lead. Flores put the Yellow Jackets on the scoreboard with a win on court three. The junior uprooted No. 46 Marta Gonzalez in straight-sets, 6-4, 6-1, to push the score to 3-1. After trailing 4-3 in the first set, Flores won the next three games to pocket the opening set and jumped out with a 3-1 lead in the second set. Flores held Gonzalez to just one game the entire second set, winning the match, 6-1.
Georgia clinched the match from court four where Otsuka battled Hertel to three sets. After dropping the first set, 6-2, Otsuka forced a deciding third set, racing past Hertel in the second, 6-1. But the Lady Bulldog came out with a 4-2 lead in the third and closed out the match with a 6-4 third set win to clinch the match for Georgia, 4-1.
UP NEXT: Georgia Tech continues this homestand on Saturday, welcoming No. 7 Texas. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. at Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
RESULTS
Doubles
1-Katarina Jokic/Anna Hertel (UGA) def. No. 51 Kenya Jones/Victoria Flores (GT) 6-3
2-Nami Otsuka/Gia Cohen (GT) vs. Elena Christofi/Marta Gonzalez (UGA) 5-3, DNF
3-Morgan Coppoc/Lea Ma (UGA) def. Monika Dedaj/Sophia Sassoli (GT) 6-1
Order of finish: 3,1
Singles
1-No. 53 Kenya Jones (GT) vs. No. 17 Katarina Jokic (UGA) 6-2, 2-6, 1-4, DNF
2-No. 19 Lea Ma (UGA) def. No. 73 Gia Cohen (GT) 6-3, 6-4
3-Victoria Flores (GT) def. No. 46 Marta Gonzalez (UGA) 6-4, 6-1
4-Anna Hertel (UGA) def. Nami Otsuka (GT) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
5-Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) vs. Elena Christofi (UGA) 6-4, 4-4, DNF
6-No. 56 Meg Kowalski (UGA) def. Nadia Gizdova (GT) 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6,2,3,4
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