May 25, 2016
TULSA, Okla. – Georgia Tech tennis players Johnnise Renaud and Paige Hourigan both won their first-round matches of the NCAA singles competition on Wednesday, as they each defeated opponents from Auburn University.
Renaud dropped the first set to Auburn’s Alizee Michaud after gaining an early lead, but she came back strong to earn a 6-7 (1), 6-1, 6-2 victory. At 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, she will face third-ranked Francesca Di Lorenzo, who topped Renaud during Ohio State’s defeat of Tech in the Round of 16 last week.
Hourigan was dominant from the outset, defeating Auburn’s Andie Dikosavljevic by a score of 6-2, 6-0. She will face Rice’s Katherine Ip, who defeated fourth-ranked Brooke Austin of Florida on Wednesday. Their match will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday.
“Both Johnnise and Paige played very well against tough competition today,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “Johnnise will play the No. 3 player in the country, Franchesca Di Lorenzo tomorrow. They had a good match when we played Ohio State last week in the Sweet 16. Paige plays Ip from Rice, who upset Florida’s No. 1 player, Brooke Austin. In doubles, Paige and Kendal (Woodard) play Pepperdine’s number one team.”
Woodard and Hourigan will face Apichaya Runglerdkriangkrai and Luisa Stefani of Pepperdine on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET in the first round of doubles play. All matches can be viewed at http://streamingtennis.com/Tulsa/.
