Thursday, 01/26/2012

ATHENS, Ga.-----Sixth-ranked Georgia plays host to an ITA Kick-off Weekend event starting Friday at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Courts.

Friday's first match features No. 66 Fresno State against Florida International at 9 a.m. The Bulldogs will face Missouri at 2 p.m. All matches are free and open to the public. Action continues Saturday at 9 a.m., and the Bulldogs will play either FSU or FIU at 2 p.m.

Georgia is 3-0 while the Tigers are 0-1. This will be the first dual match for the Bulldogs of Fresno State while FIU is 0-2. A total of 60 women's teams are competing across the country this weekend for the right to qualify for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, to be held February 10-13 at the University of Virginia. The teams that go 2-0 at the kick-off weekend event will advance to the national tournament.

Georgia's lineup features three returning All-Americans in seniors Chelsey Gullickson and Nadja Gilchrist and sophomore Kate Fuller. Gullickson, who is 17-2 this season, is one of four Bulldogs with a national singles ranking, checking in at No. 2. The doubles team of Gullickson and Gilchrist is ranked No. 2 with an 11-2 record.

Meanwhile, Fuller clinched the latest win over 13th-ranked Georgia Tech this past Saturday in Atlanta. She is 15-4 in singles this year. Her doubles partner, freshman Lauren Herring, is 15-4 as well.

This will be the first-ever meeting with the Tigers while Georgia is 1-0 against Fresno State. The Bulldogs have never faced FIU in a team match.

Also of note, the same ITA event is being held for the men's team. The fourth-ranked Georgia men's team will play host Sunday and Monday and be in action at 2 p.m. each of those days. Georgia will battle TCU and then face either Nebraska or Virginia Tech.