THE FLATS – The No. 3 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team improved to 14-3 overall and 6-1 against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents on Friday, rolling to a 5-2 victory over Notre Dame. For the third consecutive match, sophomore Kenya Jones clinched the victory for the Jackets.
DOUBLES ACTION: All three matches were on pace to finish within minutes of each other with Tech clinching the doubles point with victories on courts one and three. Johnnise Renaud and Nami Otsuka took the first match for Tech on court three. After a pair of consecutive breaks, the tandems were back on serve at 3-all. The Jackets won the next three points to take the set over Rachel Chong/Bess Waldram, 6-3. Tech’s No. 1 tandem of Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones clinched the point from the top spot over Cameron Corse and Zoe Spence, 6-4, as Ida Jarlskog and Victoria Flores held match point on court two before play was suspended.
SINGLES ACTION: Otsuka gave the Jackets a 2-0 match lead, dropping only three games to pocket a 6-3, 6-0 triumph over Chong from the four seed. But the Fighting Irish got on the scoreboard with the next match to finish, taking court three, 6-3, 6-4, for a 2-1 tally. The rally from Notre Dame would be short-lived as Tech claimed the next three matches. No. 22 Hourigan put the Jackets on the verge of victory from the top seed as the Jacket downed Notre Dame’s Miller, 6-1, 6-4 for a 3-1 score.
Jones clinched the match for Tech from the No. 2 seed. The sophomore rebounded from dropping the first set to Corse, 6-0, to force a deciding third set with a 6-1 second set victory. Jones clinched the match with a 6-2 third set win, handing Tech a 4-1 lead.
After falling behind early in the first set, Jarlskog battled to take her match. The freshman grabbed the first set in a tiebreak, 7-2, and cruised in the second, claiming a 6-0 second set. Notre Dame claimed its second point with a three-set win on court six for the final 5-2 score.
QUOTABLE: “Well played by Notre Dame today. We were happy to play reasonably well. I thought our play wasn’t as crisp as we have been playing, but it is our first match we’ve played in four matches outdoors, so it was getting used to the conditions outside again. I thought Notre Dame had a lot to do with it — I thought they played well. We are going to hopefully continue to improve and hopefully play a good match on Sunday against Syracuse.” – head coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Tech faces a quick turnarournd, visiting Syracuse on Sunday for an 11 a.m. first serve.
No. 3 GEORGIA TECH vs NOTRE DAME RESULTS
Match Score: Georgia Tech 5, Notre Dame 2
DOUBLES
1. No. 1 Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones (GT) def. Cameron Corse/Zoe Spence (ND) 6-4
2. Ida Jarlskog/Victoria Flores (GT) vs. Ally Bojczuk/Allison Miller (ND) 5-2, DNF
3. Johnnise Renaud/Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Rachel Chong/Bess Waldram (ND) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,1
SINGLES
1. No. 22 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. Allison Miller (ND) 6-1, 6-4
2. Kenya Jones (GT) def. Cameron Corse (ND) 0-6, 6-1, 6-2
3. Zoe Spence (ND) def. Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-3, 6-4
4. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Rachel Chong (ND) 6-3, 6-0
5. No. 115 Ida Jarlskog (GT) vs. Ally Bojczuk (ND) 7-6 (2), 6-0
6. Caroline Dunleavy (ND) def. Victoria Flores (GT) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 4,3,1,2,5,6
Records: Georgia Tech (14-3, 6-1 ACC); Notre Dame (10-7, 2-5 ACC)
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