Spring Break
Women's tennis rolls by Ole Miss in SEC opener
MANIK K. GUPTA
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Sports
In its first Southeastern Conference regular season dual match of the year, the Georgia women's tennis team was out to make a statement.
Although their play was a little lackluster at times, the Bulldogs eventually proved why many have them slated to win the SEC East.
The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs rolled to a 6-1 victory over visiting Ole Miss Friday in their first outdoor match of the spring season at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
While head coach Jeff Wallace was glad to come away with the victory, he wasn't all too pleased with the overall performance of the team.
"It's good to get our first SEC victory, but I really felt like we needed to go a better job in doubles. We didn't play up to our capabilities and didn't start well in any of [the matches]."
"I think we could have made a better statement quite honestly. I just feel like in a lot of sets we could have played some better tennis," Wallace said.
Clinching the match for Georgia (10-1, 1-0 SEC) was freshman sensation Nadja Gilchrist, who overpowered the Rebels' Gabriela Rangel 6-3, 7-5 earning the first career clinch of her young, promising career as a Bulldog.
"It was good [to clinch my first match]. I was really happy that I won. I was just telling myself 'you gotta get this, you gotta get this, you can do it,'" Gilchrist said.
The win gives Gilchrist her 21 match victories on the year and snaps a recent three-match losing streak.
In the process, she was able to impress Wallace with her dominant play.
"I was happy to see [Nadja] clinch this match. I thought she played really well. I think she's certainly one of the players that stepped it up today and played a great singles match."
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Ole Miss (4-3, 0-1 SEC) after Yvette Hyndman and Naoko Ueshima topped Rangel and Abby Guthrie 9-8(3) at the 3-doubles position to clinch the doubles point for Georgia. Just moments before, Monika Dancevic and partner Cameron Ellis finished off Mimi Renaudin and Laura van de Stroet 8-6 to earn their second consecutive victory at No. 2 doubles.
Georgia came out of the locker room much sharper in singles play. Although sixth-ranked Chelsey Gullickson dropped only her 7th match of the season in a 6-3, 6-3 contest to Ole Miss' No. 60 Kristi Boxx, her teammates each notched a singles victory. Dancevic dominated van de Stroet 6-0, 6-4 and Hyndman knocked off No. 62 Karen Nijssen 6-3, 6-2 to set up Gilchrist for the clinch.
"I thought some of our singles players actually played well today. Obviously, Chelsey didn't, but [Kristi] Boxx played a great match against her," Wallace said.
"It's always good to beat a ranked opponent. I actually beat her last year, but it was good for our first outdoor match, Hyndman said. "It's exciting for me, but at the same time, I just have to go out there and keep playing."
Keep playing indeed.
Georgia will have little time to rest as they return to action Sunday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. They will face the No. 57-ranked Mississippi State at 1 pm.
Although their play was a little lackluster at times, the Bulldogs eventually proved why many have them slated to win the SEC East.
The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs rolled to a 6-1 victory over visiting Ole Miss Friday in their first outdoor match of the spring season at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
While head coach Jeff Wallace was glad to come away with the victory, he wasn't all too pleased with the overall performance of the team.
"It's good to get our first SEC victory, but I really felt like we needed to go a better job in doubles. We didn't play up to our capabilities and didn't start well in any of [the matches]."
"I think we could have made a better statement quite honestly. I just feel like in a lot of sets we could have played some better tennis," Wallace said.
Clinching the match for Georgia (10-1, 1-0 SEC) was freshman sensation Nadja Gilchrist, who overpowered the Rebels' Gabriela Rangel 6-3, 7-5 earning the first career clinch of her young, promising career as a Bulldog.
"It was good [to clinch my first match]. I was really happy that I won. I was just telling myself 'you gotta get this, you gotta get this, you can do it,'" Gilchrist said.
The win gives Gilchrist her 21 match victories on the year and snaps a recent three-match losing streak.
In the process, she was able to impress Wallace with her dominant play.
"I was happy to see [Nadja] clinch this match. I thought she played really well. I think she's certainly one of the players that stepped it up today and played a great singles match."
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Ole Miss (4-3, 0-1 SEC) after Yvette Hyndman and Naoko Ueshima topped Rangel and Abby Guthrie 9-8(3) at the 3-doubles position to clinch the doubles point for Georgia. Just moments before, Monika Dancevic and partner Cameron Ellis finished off Mimi Renaudin and Laura van de Stroet 8-6 to earn their second consecutive victory at No. 2 doubles.
Georgia came out of the locker room much sharper in singles play. Although sixth-ranked Chelsey Gullickson dropped only her 7th match of the season in a 6-3, 6-3 contest to Ole Miss' No. 60 Kristi Boxx, her teammates each notched a singles victory. Dancevic dominated van de Stroet 6-0, 6-4 and Hyndman knocked off No. 62 Karen Nijssen 6-3, 6-2 to set up Gilchrist for the clinch.
"I thought some of our singles players actually played well today. Obviously, Chelsey didn't, but [Kristi] Boxx played a great match against her," Wallace said.
"It's always good to beat a ranked opponent. I actually beat her last year, but it was good for our first outdoor match, Hyndman said. "It's exciting for me, but at the same time, I just have to go out there and keep playing."
Keep playing indeed.
Georgia will have little time to rest as they return to action Sunday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. They will face the No. 57-ranked Mississippi State at 1 pm.
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