Sept. 17, 2011
ALPHARETTA, GA. – The Georgia Tech women’s tennis team bounced back from a tough start in doubles play to post a clean 8-0 slate in singles play on day two of the 2011 Georgia Tech Invitational being held at the Windward Club in Alpharetta, Ga.
The Yellow Jackets lost only two sets in eight matches on day two. Senior Lynn Blau and junior Elizabeth Kilborn earned the Yellow Jackets’ only win in doubles play, claiming a 9-8 (7-2) win over Maho Kowase and Lilly Kimbell.
“Overall, I think today went fairly well, despite the slow start in doubles play,” head coach Bryan Shelton said. “I think we could’ve done better to begin doubles play and played better under pressure. Georgia played well, I want to give them credit. It was a good, early learning test.”
Senior Caroline Lilley, ranked No. 69 in the Campbell/ITA Tennis preseason rankings, defeated Yale’s Elizabeth Epstein 6-3, 6-2. Classmate Jillian O’Neill, ranked No. 21 in the initial poll, earned a hard fought 7-5 first set win over Yale’s Vicky Brook and then finished off the match victory with a 6-3 second set win. Fellow senior Viet Ha Ngo, ranked No. 44, bounced back from a 2-6 first set loss to defeat Yale’s Blair Seideman 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Blau, ranked No. 124, defeated Yale freshman Amber Li 6-4, 6-2 to post her second straight win of the fall season. Yellow Jacket newcomer Alex Anghelescu, ranked No. 81, battled through a 6-4 first set win over Yale senior Stephanie Kent and cruised through a 6-0 second set victory to claim the match win.
Kilborn carried her momentum from yesterday’s opening match into Saturday, posting a 6-1, 6-1 win over Yale’s Hanna Yu. Sophomore Muriel Wacker cruised through a 6-0, 6-0 win over Georgia’s Kelli Jordan and freshman Jasmine Minor earned the second win of her collegiate career with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Yale’s Annie Sullivan.
“I thought we did a good job of bouncing back in singles play after a tough start in doubles play,” head coach Bryan Shelton said. “I think we came out too hyped in doubles play, we weren’t in the right mental state, but we got control of our emotions and played calm, confident and poised in singles play.
“I was very pleased with how we responded,” Shelton continued. “We showed our resiliency, we fought hard and played better in singles play.”
The final day of the Georgia Tech Invitational will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the Windward Club in Alpharetta, and the event is open and free to the public.
Fans are encouraged to follow Georgia Tech women’s tennis on Twitter, @GT_WTEN, and like the Yellow Jackets on Facebook, GTWomensTennis, for an inside look at the program.
— RamblinWreck.com —
