THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s tennis will compete for the ITA Southeast Regionals doubles and singles titles on Monday after Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura advanced through Sunday’s matches. Lee will compete in the singles final, while Lee and Sharabura will seek the doubles title.
Singles
Action began with the quarterfinal round of main draw singles in the morning with Lee leaping into the semifinals. Facing UCF’s No. 90 Marie Mattel, Lee jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first set, but Mattel rallied back to 5-4. With an opportunity to knot it at 5-all, Lee broke Mattel in the next service game to take the set, 6-4. Lee regrouped in between sets and rolled to a 6-0 decision to clinch the match, 6-4, 6-0.
In semifinal action, Lee met Dasha Vidmanova (UGA), falling behind early in the first set, 5-1. But the Jacket staged a furious comeback, winning the next 10 games extending into the second set. She took the first set, 7-5, and gained a 4-0 lead in the second before Vidmanova got on the scoreboard winning the next two games, 4-2. Lee held for a 5-2 lead and closed out the victory at 6-2. With the win, Lee moves into the championship match on Monday, and thereby clinched a spot in the ITA National Fall Championships in November.
Also competing in the quarterfinals in the morning, Mahak Jain played Georgia’s No. 26 Lea Ma, but the Bulldog held for a 6-1, 6-1 win.
Consolation
In the morning, Alejandra Cruz took her semifinal match against Florida State’s Anna Arkadianou, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Cruz took control in the opening set, racing out with a 5-2 lead. She won the set, 6-2. Arkadianou kept it close in the second set and fought off match point to force a tiebreak at 6-6. At 3-3 in the tiebreak, Cruz won the next three points for a 6-3 lead. Arkadianou staged a late rally to 6-5, but Cruz won the clincher at 7-5 to move into the championship round.
Cruz returned to the court against Emily De Oliveria (UF) in the final. She jumped out to an early 4-2 lead and took the first set, 6-4. But De Oliveria answered in the second, 6-2. The Gator held strong in the tiebreak, 10-8, for the match.
Doubles
Tech saw two doubles teams compete in the semifinals in the afternoon. First to finish, Kylie Bilchev and Cruz’s tournament run came to an end in the semifinals. The pair, playing together for the first time this tournament, fell to Florida’s Alicia Dudeney and Carly Briggs, 6-4, 7-5. The Jackets fought back to 5-all in the second set, but couldn’t hold as the Gators sealed their spot in the final.
Tech’s top-ranked duo of Lee and Kate Sharabura will compete for the title on Sunday after cruising to a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Kit Gulihur and Isabel Oliveira (UNF). Tech broke open the first set at 2-2, taking a 5-4 lead and the set at 6-4. The Jackets carried momentum into the second set, maintaining control with a 4-1 lead. Lee served out the set, 6-3, to clinch a spot in the championship.
Play concludes on Monday with the championship matches of singles and doubles. The singles championship will take place at 9 a.m. with the doubles title match scheduled for noon.
RESULTS
Singles
Quarterfinals
No. 16 Carol Lee (GT) def. No. 90 Marie Mattel (UCF) 6-4, 6-0
No. 26 Lea Ma (UGA) def. Mahak Jain (GT) 6-1, 6-1
Semifinals
No. 16 Carol Lee (GT) def. No. 79 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles
Semifinals
No. 1 Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Kit Gulihur/Isabel Oliveira (UNF) 6-4, 6-3
Alicia Dudeney/Carly Briggs (UF) def. Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-4, 7-5
Consolation
Semifinals – Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Anna Arkadianou (FSU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
Finals – Emily De Oliveira (UF) def. Alejandra Cruz (GT) 4-6, 6-2, 10-8
Monday Schedule
Singles Final
No. 16 Carol Lee (GT) vs. No. 26 Lea Ma (UGA)
Doubles Final
No. 1 Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) vs. Alicia Dudeney/Carly Briggs (UF)
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
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