THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s tennis cruised to a 7-0 victory over Georgia State on Tuesday to open its home slate. The Yellow Jackets did not drop a set in the win at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
Doubles
Georgia Tech clinched the doubles point with victories on courts one and two to gain the early match lead. Competing on court two, Alejandra Cruz and Scarlett Nicholson made quick work over Maria Paredes and Francesca Miglio. The Jackets went up 3-0 and extended their lead to 4-2 before closing out the victory, 6-3.
Georgia State rallied back on court one to push the match to a tiebreak. Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura rolled out with a 4-2 lead before Andreea Stanescu and Alba Retortillo Soiras fought back to knot that match at 5-5. The Panthers took a 6-5 advantage, but Lee and Sharabura pushed it to a tiebreak at 6-6. The Jackets fell into a 3-1 hole in the tiebreak, but persevered to fight back to 4-all. Knotted at 5-5, Lee and Sharabura closed out the win and clinched the doubles point, 7-6 (7-5).
Kylie Bilchev and Meera Jesudason teamed up on court three to face Pragnya Kumar and Sara Radojevic. The Panthers took a 3-0 lead to open the match, but the Jackets won the next five games to gain a 5-3 advantage. The match was suspended at 6-6 when Tech clinched the doubles point.
Singles
Georgia Tech won all six singles matches to complete the sweep. Lee took the first set over Paredes, 6-0, before the Panther retired due to injury on court one. Jesudason cushioned Tech’s lead from court six, downing Sveva Bernardi, 6-0, 6-3, to put the Jackets on the verge of victory.
The match was clinched from the four spot where Nicholson dominated Miglio. The freshman dropped only one game in the match, collecting a 6-1, 6-0 triumph, to give Tech a 4-0 lead.
Mahak Jain added to Tech’s lead, pocketing a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Radojevic on court five, before Bilchev topped Retortillo on court two. Bilchev broke a 4-all standstill in the first set, winning the next two games to take the opener, 6-4. She blanked the Panther in the second set, 6-0, to hand the Jackets a 5-0 match lead. Play was rounded out on court three where Cruz outlasted Stanescu, 6-4, 6-1.
Georgia Tech returns to action on Friday, Feb. 2 at South Carolina. First serve is slated for noon in Columbia, S.C.
RESULTS
Doubles
1.Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Andreea Stanescu/Alba Retortillo Soiras (GSU) 7-6 (5)
2. Alejandra Cruz/Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Maria Paredes/Francesca Miglio (GSU) 6-3
3. Kylie Bilchev/Meera Jesudason (GT) vs. Pragnya Kumar/Sara Radojevic (GSU) 6-6, DNF
Order of finish: 2,1*
*Clinched
Singles
1.No. 107 Carol Lee (GT) def. Maria Paredes (GSU) 6-0, ret.
2. No. 123 Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. Alba Retortillo Soiras (GSU) 6-4, 6-0
3. Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Andreea Stanescu (GSU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. Francesca Miglio (GSU) 6-1, 6-0*
5. Mahak Jain (GT) def. Sara Radojevic (GSU) 6-0, 6-1
6. Meera Jesudason (GT) def. Sveva Bernardi (GSU) 6-0, 6-3
Order of finish: 1,6,4*,5,2,3
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GT_WTEN), Instagram (GT_WTEN), Facebook (Georgia Tech Women’s Tennis) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com
