Spring Break
Gullickson returns to tennis court for Alabama road trip
MANIK K. GUPTA
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: Sports
As Georgia women's tennis players embark on their final westward road trip of the SEC regular season, players have their work cut out for them.
If the second-ranked Bulldogs (15-2. 5-1 SEC), which sit atop the SEC standings, can win each of their five remaining conference matches, they will secure their first outright regular season title since 2002.
This afternoon, Georgia plays at No. 29 Auburn (11-6, 3-2 SEC) before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the upstart Crimson Tide, ranked 25th, on Sunday.
Ninth-ranked freshman Chelsey Gullickson expects to return to the lineup after an illness sidelined her from two matches last weekend. But the Bulldogs and Gullickson will be challenged against a more experienced Tiger team that has three players in the top 60, including sixth-ranked junior Fani Chifchieva.
"[This road trip] is very important. Auburn is a very good team. They're very strong at the top," assistant coach Frank Polito said. "And Alabama is probably having the best year they've had in the last couple of years."
Both of Georgia's losses came away from the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, but Polito believes the key to winning on the road is getting off to a fast start. Georgia boasts a perfect 12-0 in dual matches after winning the doubles point.
"The biggest thing is we have to get off to a good start out there in the beginning of each match in doubles and in singles, get the feel of the match with the crowd and just the different surroundings," Polito said.
If the second-ranked Bulldogs (15-2. 5-1 SEC), which sit atop the SEC standings, can win each of their five remaining conference matches, they will secure their first outright regular season title since 2002.
This afternoon, Georgia plays at No. 29 Auburn (11-6, 3-2 SEC) before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the upstart Crimson Tide, ranked 25th, on Sunday.
Ninth-ranked freshman Chelsey Gullickson expects to return to the lineup after an illness sidelined her from two matches last weekend. But the Bulldogs and Gullickson will be challenged against a more experienced Tiger team that has three players in the top 60, including sixth-ranked junior Fani Chifchieva.
"[This road trip] is very important. Auburn is a very good team. They're very strong at the top," assistant coach Frank Polito said. "And Alabama is probably having the best year they've had in the last couple of years."
Both of Georgia's losses came away from the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, but Polito believes the key to winning on the road is getting off to a fast start. Georgia boasts a perfect 12-0 in dual matches after winning the doubles point.
"The biggest thing is we have to get off to a good start out there in the beginning of each match in doubles and in singles, get the feel of the match with the crowd and just the different surroundings," Polito said.
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