Spring Break
Georgia women's tennis team flawless in NCAA opener
MANIK K. GUPTA
Issue date: 5/10/09 Section: Sports
The SEC Champion Georgia women's tennis team proved to be too strong for South Carolina State, victor of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
The second-ranked host Bulldogs of Georgia (24-2) dominated the Lady Bulldogs of South Carolina State 4-0 Saturday in front of a partisan Georgia crowd at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The win moves Georgia one step closer to the Round of 16 held in College Station, Texas, beginning May 15.
Clinching the match for Georgia was freshman All-American Chelsey Gullickson who notched her team-leading seventh match-clinching victory of the season. The standout from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., overwhelmed Fanni Fricska 6-0, 6-1 at 1-singles to set up a second round date with No. 35-ranked Boise State Sunday at 2 pm.
"I think our team really came out and concentrated well, and that's what you need to do in these first round matches," head coach Jeff Wallace said. "Finals are done, and it's now about tennis. We lost a total of ten games today. Hey, that's not bad."
Georgia came out firing on all cylinders from the outset of the match. Cameron Ellis teamed with partner Naoko Ueshima to make quick work of Iveta Blodniece and Amy Chen at 3-doubles 8-0. Moments later, Monika Dancevic and Yvette Hyndman topped Fricska and Tatiana Varela 8-1 to give Georgia a 1-0 lead heading into the singles portion of play.
Georgia moves to a resounding 20-0 after successfully clinching the doubles point.
"It was a good first round to get back into the swing of things because we haven't played a match in about a week," Ellis said. "I think it was a good match for everyone. Everyone looked like they were playing well. We've been working really hard the past week."
Georgia continued the rout of South Carolina State into singles play as all six members of the Bulldogs won the first set of their matches. Ellis was the first off the court for Georgia. She whipped Varela 6-0, 6-0 to put Georgia up 2-0. Right behind her was freshman Nadja Gilchrist who overpowered Aniko Kiss 6-0, 6-2 to push the Lady Bulldogs to the brink of defeat.
"You want to get on a roll in this tournament," Wallace said. "The first thing you want to do is take care of business at home. Today's that first match that gives you the opportunity to do that, and I was very impressed and thought that they did just that."
Playing in their 23rd straight NCAA Tournament, Georgia faces a Boise State team, who just barely got past Alabama with a 4-3 victory earlier on Saturday.
"They had a tough match against Alabama, and I'm sure they're playing well," Ellis said. "We just need to stay out there. We're pretty fresh. I don't know how fresh they are going to be after that match, so we've just got to grind it out."
The second-ranked host Bulldogs of Georgia (24-2) dominated the Lady Bulldogs of South Carolina State 4-0 Saturday in front of a partisan Georgia crowd at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The win moves Georgia one step closer to the Round of 16 held in College Station, Texas, beginning May 15.
Clinching the match for Georgia was freshman All-American Chelsey Gullickson who notched her team-leading seventh match-clinching victory of the season. The standout from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., overwhelmed Fanni Fricska 6-0, 6-1 at 1-singles to set up a second round date with No. 35-ranked Boise State Sunday at 2 pm.
"I think our team really came out and concentrated well, and that's what you need to do in these first round matches," head coach Jeff Wallace said. "Finals are done, and it's now about tennis. We lost a total of ten games today. Hey, that's not bad."
Georgia came out firing on all cylinders from the outset of the match. Cameron Ellis teamed with partner Naoko Ueshima to make quick work of Iveta Blodniece and Amy Chen at 3-doubles 8-0. Moments later, Monika Dancevic and Yvette Hyndman topped Fricska and Tatiana Varela 8-1 to give Georgia a 1-0 lead heading into the singles portion of play.
Georgia moves to a resounding 20-0 after successfully clinching the doubles point.
"It was a good first round to get back into the swing of things because we haven't played a match in about a week," Ellis said. "I think it was a good match for everyone. Everyone looked like they were playing well. We've been working really hard the past week."
Georgia continued the rout of South Carolina State into singles play as all six members of the Bulldogs won the first set of their matches. Ellis was the first off the court for Georgia. She whipped Varela 6-0, 6-0 to put Georgia up 2-0. Right behind her was freshman Nadja Gilchrist who overpowered Aniko Kiss 6-0, 6-2 to push the Lady Bulldogs to the brink of defeat.
"You want to get on a roll in this tournament," Wallace said. "The first thing you want to do is take care of business at home. Today's that first match that gives you the opportunity to do that, and I was very impressed and thought that they did just that."
Playing in their 23rd straight NCAA Tournament, Georgia faces a Boise State team, who just barely got past Alabama with a 4-3 victory earlier on Saturday.
"They had a tough match against Alabama, and I'm sure they're playing well," Ellis said. "We just need to stay out there. We're pretty fresh. I don't know how fresh they are going to be after that match, so we've just got to grind it out."
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