MADISON, Wisc. – The 7th-ranked and fifth-seeded Georgia Tech women’s tennis team secured a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship quarterfinals, defeating 10th-ranked Michigan on Friday in the first round, 4-2. After taking a 2-0 match lead, Tech would hold off a Michigan rally to take the match and move to 4-0 on the season.
DOUBLES ACTION: Claiming victories from the two and three seeds, the Jackets captured a crucial doubles point to take a 1-0 match lead entering singles play. Playing at the two seed, Tech’s pair of Johnnise Renaud/Ida Jarlskog, the No. 52 duo in the country, cruised to a 6-1 victory over Kara Hall/Mira Ruder-Hook, giving the Jackets the edge in doubles play. Tied at 2-2 on court three, Victoria Flores/Nami Otsuka held serve to go up 3-2 and would close out a 6-2 win to clinch the doubles point for Tech.
SINGLES ACTION: Kenya Jones wasted no time in her singles match, dropping only three games to pick up a 6-0, 6-3 decision over Bella Lorenzini at No. 6 and put the Jackets in front, 2-0. Michigan got on the scoreboard taking court two as No. 56 Chiara lommer defeated Renaud, 6-2, 6-3, setting up a 2-1 match score. U-M knotted the match at 2-all picking up a win at No. 4 when Ruder-Hook claimed a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Flores.
The Jackets would hold off the Michigan rally and pocket the next two matches off the courts to clinch the win and a spot in the quarterfinals. No. 58 Jarlskog put Tech back in front, 3-2, winning a hard-fought win on court three, 7-6 (6), 6-4, over Brienne Minor, the 2017 NCAA Singles Champion. After winning the first set 6-3 over Alex Najarian, Tech’s Otsuka dropped the second set, but held on for a 6-3 third set win to clinch the match, 4-2.
QUOTABLE: “It was a very tough match. Our number two and three doubles teams played well and got the doubles point. Ida [Jarlskog] beat the reigning NCAA Singles Champion in singles play to give us a 3-2 lead and then Nami [Otsuka] clinched the match with her singles win. Kenya [Jones] also played very well for us in singles today.” – Head Coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Tech will face Pepperdine in the quarterfinals on Friday. First serve is slated for 4:30 p.m. Sixth-ranked and fourth-seeded Pepperdine defeated Auburn, 4-2, on Friday to reach the quarters.
No. 7 GEORGIA TECH VS. NO. 10 MICHIGAN RESULTS
Match Score: Georgia Tech 4, Michigan 2
DOUBLES
1. No. 3 Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones (GT) vs. Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (MICH), 3-5, DNF
2. No. 52 Johnnise Renaud/Ida Jarlskog (GT) def. Kara Hall/Mira Ruder-Hook (MICH) 6-1
3. Victoria Flores/Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Lera Patiuk/Chiara Lommer (MICH) 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
1. No. 24 Paige Hourigan (GT) vs. No. 29 Kate Fahey (MICH) 5-7, 6-2, 3-2, DNF
2. No. 56 Chiara Lommer (MICH) def. Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-2, 6-3
3. No. 58 Ida Jarlskog (GT) def. Brienne Minor (MICH) 7-6 (6), 6-4
4. Mira Ruder-Hook (MICH) def. Victoria Flores (GT) 6-4, 6-3
5. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Alex Najarian (MICH) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
6. Kenya Jones (GT) def. Bella Lorenzini (MICH) 6-0, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 2, 4, 3, 5
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