March 11, 2016
Final Stats | GT Photo Gallery
THE FLATS – The No. 34 Georgia Tech women’s team (8-5, 3-1) blanked No. 30 Syracuse (8-4, 2-4) 7-0 at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on Friday afternoon.
“Syracuse has a really good team and I know the score was 7-0, but that was not indicative of how the match went,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “It was really a battle on every court. We were able to play some good tennis. We had some momentum from how well we played at Boston College last week. We are going to have to keep playing that way because everyone in the conference is good.”
The Yellow Jackets picked up wins in doubles on courts one and three to tally the doubles points. On court three, seniors Megan Kurey and Natasha Prokhnevska cruised to a 5-0 lead against Nicole Mitchell and Maria Tritou. The Orange won the next point, but Kurey and Prokhenvska put away the last point to win 6-1.
Court one featured two top-30 teams, with No. 21 sophomore Paige Hourigan and senior Kendal Woodard and No. 26 Valeria Salazar and Gabriela Knutson. Syracuse’s duo took a 3-1 lead, but Woodard and Hourigan rattled off the next five games to win 6-3 and give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Yellow Jackets came out strong after doubles, winning five of six first sets in singles. Sophomore Alexis Prokopuik was the first Yellow Jacket to win her singles match, defeating Dina Hegab, 6-2, 6-2, to put Georgia Tech ahead 2-0.
On court two, Hourigan, who debuted in the ITA singles rankings this week at No. 80, blanked Salazar 6-0 in sent one. The Turakina, New Zealand, native won set two, 6-4, and the Yellow Jackets held a 3-0 lead.
No. 36-ranked Renaud would clinch the match for Georgia Tech after defeating No. 45 Anna Shkudun. Renaud rolled to a 6-1 victory in set one. Set two was close, with the two opponents playing to a 5-5 tie. Renaud won the final two games to win 7-5 and clinch the fourth-straight win for Georgia Tech against Syracuse.
Prokhnevska would give the Yellow Jackets a boost to get to 5-0 after winning in straight-set against Libi Mesh, 6-4, 6-3, on court five. After falling 7-6 (7-1) in set one to Knutson, No. 95 McAdoo came back to win set two, 6-2, on court two. The two went into a tiebreaker and McAdoo came out on top, 10-6, to put the Yellow Jackets at 6-0.
Woodard also played three sets, winning her first frame against Tritou, 6-1, on court four. Tritou took set two 6-3 and the two battled it out in the third set with Woodard winning 7-5 in set three to secure Tech’s 7-0 victory.
The Yellow Jackets remain at home this weekend, hosting No. 22 Wake Forest on Sunday at noon at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
Syracuse vs Georgia Tech
Mar 11, 2016 at Atlanta, Ga.
(Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
#34 Georgia Tech 7, #30 Syracuse 0
Singles competition
- #36 Johnnise Renaud (GT) def. #45 Anna Shkudun (SU) 6-1, 7-5
- #80 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. Valeria Salazar (SU) 6-0, 6-4
- #95 Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) def. Gabriela Knutson (SU) 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
- Kendal Woodard (GT) def. Maria Tritou (SU) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
- Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) def. Libi Mesh (SU) 6-4, 6-3
- Alexis Prokopuik (GT) def. Dina Hegab (SU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
- #21 Paige Hourigan/Kendal Woodard (GT) def. #26 Valeria Salazar/Gabriela Knutson (SU) 6-3
- Johnnise Renaud/Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) vs. Anna Shkudun/Dina Hegab (SU) 5-2, unfinished
- Natasha Prokhnevska/Megan Kurey (GT) def. Nicole Mitchell/Maria Tritou (SU) 6-1
Match Notes:
Syracuse 8-4, 2-4; National ranking #30
Georgia Tech 8-5, 3-1; National ranking #34
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,2,1,5,3,4)
Match played outdoors
