CARY, N.C. - Freshman Kendal Woodard earned her team-best 23rd singles win of the year but the Georgia Tech women's tennis team dropped a 4-1 match to the 11th-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals at the Cary (N.C.) Tennis Park Friday afternoon.
Woodard, ranked No. 90, defeated Miami's 91st-ranked Kelsey Laurente in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2 singles. It was the ninth straight win for Woodard and she now has five wins over ranked opponents this year.
The loss drops the Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 22, to 14-9 on the season while Miami improves to 18-5. Georgia Tech will now await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, which airs at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30. The Yellow Jackets are expected to earn their 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
"Miami played very well and we didn't come out and play well enough in doubles," head coach Rodney Harmon said. "That was the key. We knew we needed to win the doubles point and we weren't able to do that. The difference in level of play for them, one through six, is very minimal. They have six very good players and they played very well.
"Kendal played really well and she avenged her loss to Kelsey from when we played them in Atlanta and Natasha was about to get a split with their number three, but it's hard. They played really well and that's why they're ranked where they are, they deserve to be No. 10 in the country," Harmon added.
Miami grabbed the early lead when the Canes took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. The Miami team of Stephanie Wagner and Brittany Dubins topped Tech's tandem of Elizabeth Kilborn and Muriel Wacker 8-3 on court three.
Both of the Yellow Jackets' doubles teams on courts one and two were locked in tough battles.
At No. 1, Tech's 56th-ranked pair of Megan Kurey and Kendal Woodard was leading Miami's 85th-ranked team of Clementina Riobueno and Monique Albuquerque 7-6.
On court two, Tech's Jasmine Minor and Natasha Prokhnevska came up just short as the Yellow Jackets fell 8-5 to Kelsey Laurente and Melissa Bolivar.
Miami grabbed a 2-0 lead when Albuquerque downed Tech's Wacker, 6-2, 6-3, on court five. It is just the second loss for Wacker in her last 12 matches. Woodard's match was the next to finish and gave the Yellow Jackets their first point of the day.
Stephanie Wagner, ranked No. 60 for the Hurricanes, topped Tech's Kilborn, ranked No. 94, 6-3, 6-2, on court one and Clementina Riobueno followed that shortly with a 6-3, 6-1 win over the Jackets' Kurey on court four to clinch the Miami win.
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.
Georgia Tech vs Miami
Apr 26, 2013 at Cary, N.C.
(Cary Tennis Park)
#10 Miami 4, #22 Georgia Tech 1
Singles competition
1. #60 Stephanie Wagner (UM) def. #94 Elizabeth Kilborn (GT) 6-3, 6-2
2. #90 Kendal Woodard (GT) def. #91 Kelsey Laurente (UM) 6-3, 6-4
3. Lina Lileikite (UM) vs. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 6-2, 4-5, unfinished
4. Clementina Riobueno (UM) def. Megan Kurey (GT) 6-3, 6-1
5. Monique Albuquerque (UM) def. Muriel Wacker (GT) 6-2, 6-3
6. Melissa Bolivar (UM) vs. Jasmine Minor (GT) 6-1, 4-3, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #85 Clementina Riobueno/Monique Albuquerque (UM) vs. #56 Megan Kurey/Kendal Woodard (GT) 6-7, unfinished
2. Kelsey Laurente/Melissa Bolivar (UM) def. Jasmine Minor/Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 8-5
3. Stephanie Wagner/Brittany Dubins (UM) def. Elizabeth Kilborn/Muriel Wacker (GT) 8-3
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 14-9; National ranking #22
Miami 18-5; National ranking #10
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,1,4)
ACC Tournament Quarterfinals
--RamblinWreck.com--
