April 21, 2013
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Georgia Tech women’s tennis team rallied for a 4-3 win over the NC State Wolfpack Sunday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C., in both teams’ regular-season finale.
The Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 23, close the regular season with a 13-8 overall record and a 7-4 mark in ACC play. NC State finishes with a 13-8 overall record and a 4-7 ACC mark. Georgia Tech will be the No. 5 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament, which begins Thursday at the Cary (N.C.) Tennis Park. The Yellow Jackets will play 12th-seed Maryland at 9 a.m. Thursday. Tech beat the Terps 4-0 March 31 in Atlanta.
“NC State is a very good team and we were fortunate to get out of Raleigh with a win,” head coach Rodney Harmon said. “It was a battle all day. They had a great crowd here on Senior Day and they were loud. Our three freshmen continue play extremely well. Muriel came up with another big win today.”
Freshman doubles pair Kendal Woodard and Megan Kurey improved to 22-5 overall, 18-2 in dual matches and 9-1 in the ACC with an 8-4 victory over State’s Joelle Kissell and Tatiana Illova on court one.
The Wolfpack got an 8-5 win on court two and a 9-7 victory on court three to take a 1-0 lead into singles play. It is the third time this season Tech has lost the doubles point but gone on to win the match.
Tech rookie Natasha Prokhnevska claimed her 16th singles win of the year with a 6-1, 6-1 win over NC State senior Chloe Smith on court three to level the team match. Georgia Tech grabbed a 2-1 team edge when junior Muriel Wacker bested the Pack’s Nicole Martinez 6-2, 6-0 on court five. Wacker has won eight of her last nine matches.
NC State evened the team match as Elisha Hande topped GT’s Jasmine Minor 6-0, 6-3 on court six. The Wolfpack moved within a point of the team win as 46th-ranked Joelle Kissell topped Tech’s 86th-ranked Elizabeth Kilborn 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles.
Woodard rallied from a 6-1 first set loss to win the second and third, 6-4, 6-2 and claim her 21st singles win of the year. The Stockbridge, Ga., native has won seven straight matches at No. 2 singles. Classmate and doubles partner Megan Kurey also rallied for a three-set victory to clinch the Tech win. Kurey dropped a 6-0 first set to Rachael James-Baker but dominated 6-1 in the second set and battled to a 6-4 third set win for the team victory.
Fans are encouraged to follow Georgia Tech women’s tennis on Twitter, @GT_WTEN, and like the Yellow Jackets on Facebook, GTWomensTennis, for an inside look at the program.
Georgia Tech vs NC State
Apr 21, 2013 at Raleigh, N.C.
(Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium)
#23 Georgia Tech 4, #44 NC State 3
Singles competition
1. #46 Joelle Kissell (NCSU) def. #86 Elizabeth Kilborn (GT) 6-3, 6-3
2. #98 Kendal Woodard (GT) def. #115 Tatiana Illova (NCSU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) def. Chloe Smith (NCSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Megan Kurey (GT) def. Rachael James-Baker (NCSU) 0-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Muriel Wacker (GT) def. Nicole Martinez (NCSU) 6-2, 6-0
6. Elisha Hande (NCSU) def. Jasmine Minor (GT) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #57 Kendal Woodard/Megan Kurey (GT) def. Joelle Kissell/Tatiana Illova (NCSU) 8-4
2. Elisha Hande/Nicole Martinez (NCSU) def. Elizabeth Kilborn/Muriel Wacker (GT) 8-5
3. Chloe Smith/Sophie Nelson (NCSU) def. Natasha Prokhnevska/Jasmine Minor (GT) 9-7
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 13-8, 7-4 ACC; National ranking #23
NC State 13-8, 4-7 ACC; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,6,1,2,4)
T-3:45 A-225
–RamblinWreck.com–
