Jan. 28, 2009
ATLANTA – Sophomore Sasha Krupina earned the deciding point to lead the No. 8 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team to a 5-2 win over visiting Auburn (0-1) Wednesday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.
“It was a great way for us to start our season,” head coach Bryan Shelton said. “I thought there was some high-quality tennis and our girls stepped up when they had to get the job done.”
The Yellow Jackets (1-0) opened the day with an early 1-0 lead after doubles play. The nation’s No. 4 tandem of Amanda McDowell and Irina Falconi dispatched Auburn’s Fani Chifchieva and Melissa Koning, 8-4, on court one. Christy Striplin and Noelle Hickey clinched the point for Tech behind an 8-4 win over Alex Haney and Myrthe Molenveld at the No. 2 position. Krupina and Hillary Davis completed the doubles sweep with an 8-6 win over Whitney Chappell and Jil Hastenrath on court three.
The Tigers roared back to tie the score at 1 apiece behind a 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 win by Haney over Falconi at the No. 2 position. The Jackets regained the lead when Striplin, down 0-4 in the first, rebounded to defeat Koning, 6-4, 6-4, from the third spot in the lineup.
Auburn once again pulled even with Tech when Chifchieva, ranked sixth in the nation, came back to beat McDowell, 0-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) at the No. 1 position.
Hickey, ranked 57th, gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead from the No. 4 position when she defeated Molenveld, 6-2, 6-2. Krupina sealed the win for the Jackets from the No. 5 position when she beat Chappell, 6-4, 6-4.
Freshman Viet Ha Ngo earned her first career dual-match victory when she dominated Hastenrath, 6-1, 6-1 from the sixth position.
Tech returns to action this weekend, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, when it hosts the ITA National Team Indoor Qualifier at the Bill Moore Tennis Center. The Yellow Jackets will face No. 25 TCU Saturday at 2:30 p.m., and will meet either No. 20 Florida State or No. 21 Arizona State Sunday.
– RamblinWreck.com –
Tennis Match Results
Auburn vs Georgia Tech
Jan 28, 2009 at Atlanta, Ga.
#8 Georgia Tech 5, #27 Auburn 2
Singles competition
1. #6 Fani Chifchieva (AU) def. #11 Amanda McDowell (GT) 0-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
2. #86 Alex Haney (AU) def. #23 Irina Falconi (GT) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
3. #27 Christy Striplin (GT) def. #41 Melissa Koning (AU) 6-4, 6-4
4. #57 Noelle Hickey (GT) def. Myrthe Molenveld (AU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Whitney Chappell (AU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Viet Ha Ngo (GT) def. Jil Hastenrath (AU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #4 Amanda McDowell/Irina Falconi (GT) def. Fani Chifchieva/Melissa Koning (AU) 8-4
2. Christy Striplin/Noelle Hickey (GT) def. Alex Haney/Myrthe Molenveld (AU) 8-4
3. Sasha Krupina/Hillary Davis (GT) def. Whitney Chappell/Jil Hastenrath (AU) 8-6
Match Notes:
Auburn 0-1; National ranking #27
Georgia Tech 1-0; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,1,4,5,6)
