College Tennis News - Georgia Advances To National Team Indoors

ATHENS-----Sixth-ranked Georgia blanked No. 70 Georgia State 7-0 Monday to advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.

The Bulldogs (2-0) captured the doubles point and picked up the first three singles wins from Maho Kowase, Silvia Garcia and Kate Fuller to clinch the victory over the Panthers (2-1) who upset No. 40 Oklahoma State Sunday.

In doubles, the first to finish was the No. 3 team of Kowase and Lilly Kimbell. The 22nd-ranked Bulldog tandem registered an 8-6 win over Jocelyn Ffriend and Linn Timmermann to move their record to 9-1 this season. The clinching doubles win came from the No. 1 team of Garcia and Fuller and as they upset the 19th-ranked Panther pair of Abigail Tere-Apisah and Masa Grgan 8-4. On Sunday, the Bulldog duo made their debut with a win over a Columbia team ranked No. 37. The No. 2 doubles match was halted at 6-all.

The 18th-ranked Kowase gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead when she made quick work of Grgan 6-0,6-0 in the No. 2 contest. Garcia's 6-1,6-0 win over Timmermann at No. 4 provided a 3-0 lead. Fuller, ranked 54th, clinched the victory with a 6-3,6-3 decision over Whitney Byrd in the No. 3 match. When the No. 1 contest split sets and the team victory assured, a super tiebreaker was played in lieu of a third set. The eighth-ranked Herring emerged with a 3-6,6-4,1-0(10-8) win to make it 5-0. It was a fine performance by Herring who was forced to serve underhand for a majority of the match due to an injury. Herring improved to 22-2 this year with her latest win. King and Kimbell claimed the final two matches in straight sets to complete the shutout.

"Our goal this weekend was to come out and get two wins and advance to the National Team Indoors, and we did that," said Bulldog coach Jeff Wallace. "I thought our doubles played great today, and I'm proud of how we performed in singles especially with Maho winning 6-0,6-0, you don't see that very often. Lauren played through a slight injury and earned a win and Kate clinched it. I liked what I saw in every match."

Georgia is a perfect 8-0 all-time when playing host to an ITA Kickoff event. The Bulldogs will be making their 23rd appearance at the national tournament that began in 1988. They have claimed three indoor team titles (1994, 1994 and 2002). Overall, Georgia is 50-19 in ITA National Indoor Team Championship play.

In the first match Monday, 40th-ranked Oklahoma State posted a 4-3 victory over No. 73 Columbia. It was a consolation match as part of an ITA Kickoff Weekend event.

The Cowgirls grabbed a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point. The No. 2 tandem of Karyn Guttormsen and Meghan Blevins posted an 8-3 win over Nicole Bartnik and Crystal Leung. After Columbia (0-2) notched a win at No. 3 in a tiebreaker, the doubles point came down to the No. 1 contest. Malika Rose and Kanyapat Narattana upset 37th-ranked Bianca Sanon and Tiana Takenaga 8-6.

The Lions evened the match with a straight set victory at No. 2 singles as 81st-ranked Bianca Sanon beat 89th-ranked Meghan Blevins 6-2,6-3. Then, Columbia took a 2-1 lead with a straight set win at No. 3 from 85th-ranked Kanika Vaidya. OSU made it 2-2 when Maria Alvarez rallied past Lauren Stratman in the No. 4 match. Alvarez was down 4-2 in the final set and reeled off four straight games to take the match 4-6,6-4,6-4. OSU reclaimed a 3-2 edge with an upset at No. 1. Rose defeated 24th-ranked Bartnik 6-2,4-6,6-2. The Cowgirls clinched the win at No. 6 as Karyn Guttormsen beat Ioana Alecsiu 6-3,6-2 to make it 4-2. The Lions won the final match at No. 5, taking it in a super tiebreaker in lieu of a third set.

ITA Kickoff Weekend: Athens, Ga. Final

#6 Georgia 7, #70 Georgia State 0

Doubles

1. Kate Fuller/Silvia Garcia (UGA) def. #19 Abigail Tere-Apisah/Masa Grgan (GAST) 8-4

2. Mia King/Lauren Herring (UGA) vs. Whitney Byrd/Maryna Kozachecnko (GAST) 6-6, unfinished

3. #22 Lilly Kimbell/Maho Kowase (UGA) def. Jocelyn Ffriend/Linn Timmermann (GAST) 8-6

Singles

1. #8 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. #29 Abigail Tere-Apisah (GAST) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-4)

2. #18 Maho Kowase (UGA) def. Masa Grgan (GAST) 6-0, 6-0

3. #54 Kate Fuller (UGA) def. Whitney Byrd (GAST) 6-3, 6-3

4. Silvia Garcia (UGA) def. Linn Timmermann (GAST) 6-1, 6-0

5. Mia King (UGA) def. Jocelyn Ffriend (GAST) 6-2, 6-1

6. Lilly Kimbell (UGA) def. Maryna Kozachecnko (GAST) 6-3, 6-0

Match Notes:

#6 Georgia 2-0; #70 Georgia State 2-1

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,6,5)

ITA Kickoff Weekend: Georgia advances to National Team Indoors

T-3:25 A-158

ITA Kickoff Weekend: 1st Match Monday:

#40 Oklahoma State 4, #73 Columbia 3

Doubles

1. Malika Rose/Kanyapat Narattana (OKST) def. #37 Bianca Sanon/Tiana Takenaga (COL) 8-6

2. Karyn Guttormsen/Meghan Blevins (OKST) def. Nicole Bartnik/Crystal Leung (COL) 8-3

3. Kanika Vaidya/Lauren Stratman (COL) def. Maria Alvarez/C.C. Sardinha (OKST) 8-7 (8-6)

Singles

1. Malika Rose (OKST) def. #24 Nicole Bartnik (COL) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

2. #81 Bianca Sanon (COL) def. #89 Meghan Blevins (OKST) 6-2, 6-3

3. #85 Kanika Vaidya (COL) def. C.C. Sardinha (OKST) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1

4. Maria Alvarez (OKST) def. Lauren Stratman (COL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

5. Crystal Leung (COL) def. Kanyapat Narattana (OKST) 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8)

6. Karyn Guttormsen (OKST) def. Ioana Alecsiu (COL) 6-3, 6-2

Match Notes: #73 Columbia 0-2; #40 Oklahoma State 2-1

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,3,4,1,6,5); T-4:48