The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/19/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: KEVNEY MOSES Senior Monika Dancevic has provided clinching, comeback wins against Georgia Tech over the last two seasons. [Click to enlarge]

Beating your biggest rival isn't the simplest challenge. But when it comes to women's tennis, Georgia senior Monika Dancevic has played her best tennis versus Georgia Tech feeding to the in-state rivalry.

For years, the Georgia women dominated the predominantly male institution's women's tennis team, but in recent years, Tech has made an effort to recruit more female students, and the results are showing on the tennis court.

The Yellow Jackets snapped a 21-year losing streak to the Bulldogs in 2005 upsetting the Bulldogs in Athens and forcing Georgia to acknowledge their competition.

Eventually in 2007, the then No.12-ranked Georgia would earn their chance to enact revenge against the No.6 Yellow Jackets in Athens. With the Bulldogs leading 3-2 in the dual-match, Dancevic gritted her way through a grueling three-set victory over Tech's No. 27-ranked Christy Striplin clinching the dual match for Georgia in the process.

"We've talked about how playing against rivals is important, and you want your players to come out and play hard every day," head coach Jeff Wallace said. "I think what happens is you get someone like Monika, who is a good competitor, plays with a big heart, and just fights really great on the court and presents herself the way you want people to get out there and go for every point."

"I think it's a little different," Dancevic said in regard to her mental approach against Tech. "We know every time going in that it's going to be a tough match and usually [the match] comes down to someone's court. I think that in those times, your character really comes out because you can't just kind of make stupid errors and think 'oh, whatever.' You have to be focused on every single point and just know you have given everything you can on that day.

Just one year later, Dancevic's resolve would again be tested against Tech and her persistence would be forever entrenched in the minds of the Bulldog faithful. Facing the defending NCAA champion and top-ranked Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, the Bulldogs quickly found themselves facing a 3-0 deficit after a poor result in doubles play and two singles losses.

Continued...

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