May 15, 2004
Athens, Ga. – Shadisha Robinson and Alexandra Smith recorded singles and doubles victories to lead Georgia’s women’s tennis team to a 4-0 victory over Georgia Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tennis Championships Saturday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.
The Yellow Jackets (12-11) fell in the regional finals for the fourth time in five NCAA appearances, while the Bulldogs (19-4) advanced to play in the Sweet 16 next weekend, which will also be held in Athens.
Georgia captured the doubles point, then got straight-set singles wins from Smith at No. 6, Robinson at No. 2 and Agata Cioroch at No. 1 singles.
“The doubles point was again huge,” said Tech head coach Bryan Shelton. “Unfortunately, today we didn’t get it. I think it was a big difference in the game, giving them an edge going into singles play. They were able to play singles loose, and we didn’t have that luxury, down 1-0.”
Robinson and Smith teamed together to earn an 8-2 win over Lindsey Stauss, filling in for injured Lyndsay Shosho, and partner Maria Nieto at No. 2 doubles before Georgia Tech’s top duo of Kelly Anderson and Sekita Grant downed Cioroch and Evgenia Subbotina, 8-5, in the top doubles slot, setting up the No. 3 position for the deciding point.
With the score tied at 6-6, Georgia’s Jitka Schonfeldova and Douglas Wink broke Kacie Anson’s serve to take a 7-6 lead before Anson and partner Alison Silverio tied the match at 7-7 by breaking Wink after the break. Silverio then got broken to give the Bulldogs an 8-7 lead and Schonfeldova held serve to secure the doubles point.
In singles play, Nieto was unable to win a game at the No. 6 slot, as Smith won 6-0, 6-0 in a quick, 57-minute match. Robinson then put the Bulldogs up 3-0 in the match by dispensing of Anderson, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2 before Cioroch downed Shosho, 6-4, 6-1, in the top slot for the win.
“I was really proud of the way that Shosho played this weekend,” said Shelton. “She hurt herself two weeks ago and worked hard to get back to play. She really dug in against Agata [Cioroch] today and showed her true colors. She didn’t go down without a fight and competed very well for us.” Tech, ranked 40th nationally and seeded third in the regional, finished with a winning record for the third consecutive year and fourth under Shelton. Shosho will represent the Yellow Jackets with an appearance in the NCAA Individual Championship, which will begin following the conclusion of the team championship, also in Athens.
GEORGIA 4, GEORGIA TECH 0 DOUBLES 1. Anderson/Grant (GT) def. Cioroch/Subbotina (UGA), 8-5 2. Robinson/Smith (UGA) def. Nieto/Stauss (GT), 8-2 3. Douglas Wink (UGA) def. Kacie Anson/Silverio (GT), 9-7*
SINGLES 1. Agata Cioroch (UGA) def. Lyndsay Shosho (GT), 6-4, 6-2** 2. Shadisha Robinson (UGA) def. Kelly Anderson (GT), 6-3, 6-1 3. Lindsey Stauss (GT) vs. Evgenia Subbotina (UGA), DNF 4. Alison Silverio (GT) vs. Jitka Schonfeldova (UGA), DNF 5. Sekita Grant (GT) vs. Natalie Frazier (UGA), DNF 6. Alexandra Smith (UGA) def. Maria Nieto (GT), 6-0, 6-0
*Clinched Doubles Point Order of Doubles Finish: 2, 1, 3. **Clinched Match Point Order of Singles Finish: 6, 2, 1
