May 5, 2004
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s women’s tennis team, ranked 40th in the latest ITA poll with an 11-10 overall record, will face second-seeded Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, to be held at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia beginning May 14 at 10 a.m. The Jackets and Tide will square off in the first match of the day with the Bulldogs to follow at 2 p.m.
“I think it’s great that we’re going to Athens,” said Tech head coach Bryan Shelton. “They have a great facility and it’s a place that we are very familiar with. We have had some good matches their in the past, and I think it’s nice to return back here after playing three of the last four first-round matches in California. It’s great to not have to travel as far, and with our two weeks off from school, I think that we will be rested and sharp going into the match. We’re looking to have a great run in the tournament.”
This will mark the fifth-straight year that the Yellow Jackets have been selected to play in the postseason, as Shelton has led his teams to the tournament in all five years at the helm of the program.
“We’re very happy that we were selected,” said Shelton. “We had a solid year this season, and it’s exciting to continue playing in the postseason. I think that this solidifies the program even more, as every year we hope to advance past the regular season. We hope, this season, that we can advance past the second round and into the Final 16.”
The Yellow Jackets stand at 3-8 against the Crimson Tide in their history, with Alabama taking the last match, 5-4, in 1999.
“Although we didn’t play Alabama this season, we know that they are a very good team,” said Shelton. “They are very strong in doubles play and their top two players are ranked fairly high in that nation, so their strength in certainly at the top of their lineup. We feel that this is a good matchup, however, and we feel that whichever team comes out fired up and ready to play will get the victory.”
Should the Jackets earn a victory in the first round, they would face the winner of the No. 6 University of Georgia and Samford match. The first round match will begin on May 14 at a time that has yet to be announced, while the second round match is expected to begin Saturday evening.
