Univ. of Georgia Team Page
COLLEGE STATION, Texas--The fifth-ranked Georgia women's tennis team knocked off third-ranked Texas A&M 4-2 Sunday afternoon at the Georgia P. Mitchell Tennis Center to move into a three-way tie for first place in the SEC.
The match was halted for nearly three hours when Georgia (15-2, 8-1) held a 3-1 lead due to inclement weather.
“I thought we did a great job the whole match,” said head coach Jeff Wallace. “I’m so proud of the team. This was a tough environment to play in, but everyone really rose to the occasion. I’m so impressed with the heart, the determination and the fight that everyone showed. It was just a great match.”
For the 15th time this season, Georgia grabbed an early lead by winning the doubles point. The fourth-ranked tandem of Kate Fuller and Silvia Garcia beat Texas A&M's (15-2, 8-1) seventh ranked pair of Stefania Hristov and Cristina Stancu, 8-3. Shortly after, the Aggies evened the score when Lauren Herring and Maho Kowase, ranked 59th nationally, fell 72nd-ranked Cristina Sanchez and Wen Sun, 8-3. Georgia clinched the doubles point when Lilly Kimbell and Mia King won three straight games to beat Ines and Paula Deheza, 8-5.
The Aggies evened the score when Anna Mamalat beat Georgia's Kimbell, 6-1, 6-4. Shortly after, eighth-ranked Herring beat fifth-ranked Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar 6-2, 6-4. Sanchez-Quintanar is the highest-ranked opponent that Herring has beaten this year, and is the 14th ranked opponent that she's beaten this year. Kowase, ranked 18th in the country, gave the Bulldogs a 3-1 advantage after beating 68th-ranked Stancu, 6-2, 6-2, her seventh win in a row.
After the weather delay, Texas A&M narrowed the Georgia lead when Ines Deheza topped Fuller 7-6 (3), 6-2, but King secured the Bulldog victory with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 defeat of Hristov.
Georgia improves to 7-0 all-time against the Aggies, including 4-0 in College Station. Sunday's win marks the first win for Georgia over a top-five team since beating second-ranked Cal in February of 2009.
With the win, Wallace sits just two wins shy of No. 600. He is the winningest active coach in college women's tennis, and would be one of three women's tennis coaches to reach the 600-win mark.
Georgia returns home to take on Arkansas and LSU next weekend. Friday's match against LSU is scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m and admission is free.
No. 5 Georgia 4, No. 3 Texas A&M 2
March 31, 2013
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center
College Station, Texas
Singles
1. #8 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. #5 Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar (TAMU), 6-2, 6-4
2. #18 Maho Kowase (UGA) def. #68 Cristina Stancu (TAMU), 6-2, 6-2
3. #43 Nazari Urbina (TAMU) vs. #86 Silvia Garcia (UGA), 6-3, 3-6, 4-4, uf
4. Ines Deheza (TAMU) def. Kate Fuller (UGA), 7-6 (3), 6-2
5. Mia King (UGA) def. Stefania Hristov (TAMU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
6. Anna Mamalat (TAMU) def. Lilly Kimbell (UGA), 6-1, 6-4
Doubles (Georgia wins the point)
1. #4 Fuller/Garcia (UGA) def. #7 Hristov/Stancu (TAMU), 8-2
2. #72 Sanchez-Quintanar/Wen Sun (TAMU)def. #59 Herring/Kowase (UGA), 8-3
3. Kimball/King (UGA) def. I. Deheza/Paula Deheza (TAMU), 8-5
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
Singles: 6, 2, 1, 4, 5
Team records
Texas A&M: 15-2, 8-1 SEC
Georgia: 15-2, 8-1 SEC
