THE FLATS – The eighth-ranked Georgia Tech women’s tennis team rolled to a 4-0 victory over Alabama State on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After claiming the doubles point and starting singles play, the match was moved indoors due to inclement weather approaching the area. Three Jackets claimed singles victories all by 6-1, 6-0 decisions to clinch the win and advance to the second round.
DOUBLES ACTION: Tech shook off a slow start to doubles play to walk away with the early lead claiming wins on courts two and three. Dominating on court two, the Tech duo of No. 23 Rasheeda McAdoo and Johnnise Renaud handled business, cruising to a 6-0 victory over Gabriela Lackova/Mirna Curcic. The point was clinched on court three when Nami Otsuka and Luca Fabian erased a 2-0 deficit to start and knotted the match at 3-3. The Jackets sealed the early lead winning the next three points for a 6-3 decision and a 1-0 advantage.
SINGLES PLAY: The teams got midway through the first set on all six singles courts before lightning forced a delay and ultimately moved the match indoors. The Jackets dropped just five games before taking all six first sets across the board. Finishing within minutes of each other, McAdoo and Nadia Gizdova gave Tech a 3-0 match lead, both claiming 6-1, 6-0 decisions on courts one and six, respectively.
Jones clinched the match from the four spot, also by a 6-1, 6-0 decision, as the freshman topped Gabriela Lackova for the 4-0 Georgia Tech win.
QUOTABLE: “Today was a good match – it was good for us to get out and play because we haven’t played for two weeks because of finals. I thought Alabama State did a good job of coming out and competing really hard. It was good for us because it forced us to play as hard as we could to play at the level we need to play. Northwestern had a really good win today, so we’re going to have to be ready to go tomorrow.” – Head Coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: In the first match of the morning, Northwestern edged Mississippi State 4-1. The Jackets and Wildcats will hold first serve on Sunday at 1 p.m. to seal a berth into the round of 16 in Athens, Ga.
Alabama State at No. 8 Georgia Tech Results
Match Score: No. 8 Georgia Tech 4, Alabama State 0
DOUBLES
1. No. 29 Kenya Jones/Paige Hourigan (GT) vs. Reka Szentes/Marine Cartier (ASU) 4-4, DNF
2. No. 23 Rasheeda McAdoo/Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Gabriela Lackova/Mirna Curcic (ASU) 6-0
3. Luca Fabian/Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Brankica Orlovic/Marija Blazevic (ASU) 6-3
Order of finish: 2,3
Point: Georgia Tech
SINGLES
1. No. 48 Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) def. Reka Szentes (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
2. No. 36 Johnnise Renaud (GT) vs. Marine Cartier (ASU) 6-1, 3-2 DNF
3. Kenya Jones (GT) def. Gabriela Lackova (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Nami Otuska (GT) vs. Brankica Orlovic (ASU) 6-1, 3-3 DNF
5. Luca Fabian (GT) vs. Mirna Curcic (ASU) 6-1, 4-2 DNF
6. Nadia Gizdova (GT) def. Marija Blazevic (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 1, 6, 3
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