ORLANDO, Fla. – In its dual opener, No. 20 Georgia Tech women’s tennis dropped a 4-0 decision at UCF. The Knights rebounded in doubles and captured three straight-set singles victories to take the match.
Doubles
Georgia Tech (0-1) jumped out with advantages on a pair of courts, but UCF (1-0) battled back to take the doubles point and early match lead. On court one, Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura cruised against Noel Saidenova and Anique Kattenberg. The Jackets opened winning the first four games before the Knights got on the board, but Tech bounced back to win, 6-2. UCF evened the doubles field with a 6-2 win on court two.
The Jackets looked in control on court three as Given Roach and Scarlett Nicholson also opened with a 4-0 advantage. But Jaleesa Leslie and Sophia Biolay rallied back to win the next six games and take the match, 6-4, to clinch the doubles point for the Knights.
Singles
UCF grabbed a 2-0 lead, collecting a straight-set win on court three, before cushioning its advantage with a win on court four. Competing at four, Mahak Jain faced off against Saidenova. After dropping the first set, 6-3, Jain won the opening two games of the second set, but Saidenova responded to claim the match, 6-3, 6-3.
UCF clinched the match, 4-0, at the five spot where Jaleesa Leslie defeated Roach, 6-4, 6-3. Roach held a narrow 3-2 lead in the second set before Leslie took the next four games to seal the victory.
Tech’s remaining three matches went unfinished once the match was clinched. At the top position, Lee battled in the second set against Olivia Lincer a set down, 2-6, 5-5, while Bilchev forced a deciding third set on court two. Biolay took the opener, 6-0, but Bilchev answered dominating the second set, 6-1. Biolay held a 3-2 lead in the third when play was suspended. And competing on court six, Sharabura won a hard-fought first set, 7-5, against Kattenberg, but dropped the second set, 6-2. The Jacket trailed 1-0 in the third.
Georgia Tech returns to the courts next weekend, taking part in the ITA Kickoff Weekend, hosted by Virginia, Jan. 26-27. The Yellow Jackets will face Wisconsin on Friday at 3 p.m.
RESULTS
Doubles
1.Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Noel Saidenova/Anique Kattenberg (UCF) 6-2
2. Jantje Tilbuerger/Olivia Lincer (UCF) def. Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-2
3. Jaleesa Leslie/Sophia Biolay (UCF) def. Given Roach/Scarlett Nicholson (GT) 6-4*
Order of finish:1,2,3*
*Clinched
Singles
1.No. 107 Carol Lee (GT) vs. Olivia Lincer (UCF) 2-6, 5-5, DNF
2. No. 123 Kylie Bilchev (GT) vs. Sophia Biolay (UCF) 0-6, 6-1, 2-3, DNF
3. Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) def. Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-0, 6-0
4. Noel Saidenova (UCF) def. Mahak Jain (GT) 6-3, 6-3
5. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) def. Given Roach (GT) 6-4, 6-3
6. Kate Sharabura (GT) vs. Anique Kattenberg (UCF) 7-5, 2-6, 0-1, DNF
Order of finish: 3, 4, 5*
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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