(Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”40″] The meeting will mark the first time the Bulldogs (20-6) and Buccaneers (18-2) have faced each other in a competitive match and will see the winner advance to play the winner of the Duke vs. Purdue match in the second round on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday’s winner will then advance to the round of 16 in Waco, Texas, on May 15.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia is led in its lineup by senior Lauren Herring and her No. 5 national ranking. The Greenville, N.C., native has already earned First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Tournament Team honors this year and was recently named an All-American for the fourth time in her career after claiming the No. 6 seed for the upcoming individual singles portion of the NCAA Championships.
[su_spacer size=”40″] She is joined in the top-75 by two other Bulldogs who will be participating in the individual competitions in Waco, as freshmen Kennedy Shaffer (59) and Ellen Perez (63) look to continue building upon the successes they have already found this season. Hannah King (88), Silvia Garcia (94), Caroline Brinson (104), and Mariana Gould (114) are also ranked and ready to provide support to a singles lineup that rolls 7-deep in the national rankings.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In doubles, Georgia is paced on court 1 by the No. 11 ranked tandem of Herring and Perez, while Garcia and Shaffer have also had a solid year on court 2 and find themselves ranked No. 43 heading into the tournament.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Charleston Southern currently has no players featured in the national rankings but is led by three seniors at the top of their lineup. The Buccaneers most recently defeated Coastal Carolina 4-0 in the Big South Championship and lost just two matches all season.
[su_spacer size=”40″] For Georgia, the first round match will give the team a chance to return to winning ways after falling to Vanderbilt in its last match at the final of the SEC Tournament three weeks ago. The Bulldogs have not failed to advance to the round of 16 since losing 4-2 to Clemson in 2010 and hold a 70-26 all-time record in NCAA tournament matches.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Saturday’s first round match can be followed through live scoring/video and a live chat at the links below. Updates can also be found by following the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGAWomensTennis) and liking them on Facebook (Georgia Women’s Tennis). [su_spacer size=”40″] SCHEDULE OF PLAY (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
[su_spacer size=”10″] Friday, May 8, Round 1 (M)
MATCH 1 (MEN): 11:00 a.m. — Florida State vs. Troy
MATCH 2 (MEN): 2:00 p.m. — Georgia vs. Winthrop
[su_spacer size=”20″] Saturday, May 9, Round 1 (W), Round 2 (M)MATCH 3 (WOMEN): 9:00 a.m. — Duke vs. Purdue
MATCH 4 (WOMEN): 12:00 p.m. — Georgia vs. Charleston Southern
MATCH 5 (MEN): 3:00 p.m. — Winners of Matches 1 and 2
[su_spacer size=”20″] Sunday, May 10, Round 2 (W)MATCH 6 (WOMEN): 1:00 p.m. — Winners of Matches 3 and 4