THE FLATS – The eighth-ranked Georgia Tech women’s tennis team secured a spot in the NCAA Round of 16 with a 4-0 victory over No. 39 Northwestern Sunday afternoon. The Jackets (27-4) won a crucial doubles point and quickly grabbed three singles matches in straight sets to take the win and advance.
DOUBLES ACTION: Northwestern had three match points to clinch the doubles point, but a feisty Georgia Tech tandem of Rasheeda McAdoo and Johnnise Renaud showed fight and grit to hold off the Wildcats. Tech and Northwestern split matches on courts one and three as the Jackets handled business at the top seed when the No. 29 duo of Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones cruised to a 6-1 victory over No. 15 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt. The Wildcats evened the surface with a 6-3 win on court three and looked to be on track to take the doubles point, leading 5-2 on court two.
Trailing 5-2 on court two, No. 23 McAdoo/Renaud moved the score to 5-3 and fought off three match points in the next game to bring the score to 5-4 in the deciding match. Renaud held serve to move it to 5-5 and then blasted a winner down the line to break Northwestern’s service game to put Tech in front 6-5. The Jackets clinched the doubles point after McAdoo held serve for a 7-5 comeback win at the two seed to give Tech a 1-0 match lead.
SINGLES PLAY: Tech made quick work of singles play to clinch the win. First off the courts at number four, Jones dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Lee Or to put the Jackets in front 2-0. Finishing shortly after, Otsuka downed Chatt at the five position, 6-2, 6-2, to put Tech on the verge of victory.
Competing at the three seed, No. 96 Hourigan sealed Tech’s path to Athens, downing Doshi, 6-2, 6-2 for a 4-0 win.
With the win, the Jackets have secured a spot in the round of 16 for the ninth time in program history and second consecutive season.
QUOTABLE: “I’m really proud of our team. Northwestern came in and competed really hard. They did a really good job in the doubles and we were able to sneak through and win at one and two. In singles we came out very focused and determined and I thought we played really well. It was great to have Kenya and then Nami win and have Paige close the door was great. Rasheeda, Johnnise and Luca were also playing very well. All season long, we’ve been able to do that, whether we won or lost the doubles, we played well in singles. Now we have to take a little rest and get ready to play in Athens on Friday night.” – Head Coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Georgia Tech heads to Athens, Ga. for the remainder of the NCAA Championships. The Jackets will face No. 9 Oklahoma State on Friday at 7 p.m. in the round of 16.
No. 39 Northwestern at No. 8 Georgia Tech Results
Match Score: No. 8 Georgia Tech 4, No. 39 Northwestern 0
DOUBLES
1. No. 29 Kenya Jones/Paige Hourigan (GT) vs. No. 15 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt (NU) 6-1
2. No. 23 Rasheeda McAdoo/Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. Erin Larner/Lee Or (NU) 7-5
3. Rheeya Doshi/Jillian Rooney (NU) def. Luca Fabian/Nami Otsuka (GT) 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3,2
Point: Georgia Tech
SINGLES
1. No. 48 Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) vs. No. 82 Erin Larner (NU) 6-1, 2-4, DNF
2. No. 36 Johnnise Renaud (GT) vs. Maddie Lipp (NU) 6-7 (8-10) DNF
3. No. 96 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. Rheeya Doshi (NU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Kenya Jones (GT) def. Lee Or (NU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Alex Chatt (NU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Luca Fabian (GT) vs. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 3-3 DNF
Order of finish: 4,5,3
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