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WTennis: UGA picks up two singles and one doubles win at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships

In doubles play, two Bulldogs pairings opened up morning action in the round of 16. The first match saw the No. 1 seeded duo of juniors Mai Nirundorn and Guillermina Grant face off against Ellie Schoppe and Maelie Monfils (Florida State). Trailing early, Nirndorn and Grant pushed to fight back into the match but ultimately fell 8-1. 

Across the park, the tandem of freshman Aysegul Mert and sophomore Anastasiia Lopata met against Amy Kaplan and Annabelle David (North Florida). The pro set went back-and-forth from the start as Mert and Lopata remained composed to keep the score line even into the later stages of the match. The Bulldog duo never backed down as they played to a 7-7 score to force a tiebreaker. The tiebreakers mimicked the trend of the pro set and both sides exchanged points to tie at 6-6. With the match on the line, Mert and Lopata sparked back-to-back points to close out and win the match 8-7(6).  

The victory earned Mert and Lopata a spot in the quarterfinals where they faced off against Victoria Gomez O’Hayon and Millie-Mae Matthews (Florida Atlantic). Coming off a grueling tiebreaking victory in the previous round, the quarterfinal match mirrored the intensity as Mert and Lopata battled their way into another 7-7 score and force another tiebreaker. The Bulldogs played hard until match point, but ultimately fell just short at 8-7(5). 

In singles play, three Bulldogs made their mark in the round of 16 with two victories out of three matches. The first to advance to the quarterfinals was Grant as her opponent withdrew from the round of 16 match due to injury.  

Coming off two battle-tested rounds of doubles, No. 7 seeded Lopata returned to the court to face off against Ekaterina Khayrutdinova (FIU). Lopata wasted no time establishing momentum as she made quick work to win the first set 6-1. Despite dropping the second set 6-2, Lopata locked in to push the third set to yet another tiebreaker as she closed out the match for a 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(3) victory. 

No. 14 seeded Mert rounded out Saturday’s singles action as she was slotted to face No. 4 seed Carly Briggs (Florida). A close set early quickly leaned opposite as Mert dropped the first set 6-3. Mert pushed a second set effort to level the match, but ultimately fell short 6-3, 6-2 in straight sets. 

ITA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS  

Date: Thursday, Oct. 19 through Monday, Oct. 23   

Location: Gainesville, Fla.   

Venue: Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex 

Live Video: https://bit.ly/403aqCx 

Live Stats: https://bit.ly/45G2DvR 

Singles Results: Main Draw Round of 16 

[7] Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Ekaterina Khayrutdinova (FIU) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(3) 

Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. [2] Sara Dahlstrom (Florida) default (Injury) 

[4]Carly Briggs (Florida) def. [14] Aysegul Mert (UGA) 6-3, 6-2 

Doubles Results: Main Draw Round of 16 

Ellie Schoppe/Maelie Monfils (Florida State) def. [1] Mai Nirundorn/Guillermina Grant (UGA) 8-1 

[8] Aysegul Mert/Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Amy Kaplan/Annabelle David (North Florida) 8-7(6)  

Doubles Results: Main Draw Quarterfinals 

Victoria Gomez O’Hayon and Millie-Mae Matthews (Florida Atlantic). def. Aysegul Mert/Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) 8-7(5) 

Georgia wrapped up action at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships on Sunday

The Georgia women’s tennis team wrapped up action at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships on Sunday as sophomore Anastasiia Lopata picked up a singles quarterfinal win to advance to the semifinals.  

As the competition narrowed down towards the later rounds of the bracket, singles round of 16 victories from No. 7 seed Lopata and junior Guillermina Grant set up a head-to-head matchup between the two in the quarterfinal.  

In the first set, Lopata set the tone early as Grant kept up with the close score nearing the midway point of the set. Lopata’s effort late in the set helped establish a larger lead before ultimately winning the set 6-3. In the second set, the trend of the match continued as both players put up an early battle to keep the score close. Grant pushed the deficit to 5-4 with an opportunity to level the score, but Lopata pulled through to close and win the match 6-3, 6-4.  

The victory propelled Lopata to the semifinal round where she faced off against No. 12 Rachel Gailis (Florida). Lopata found a short rhythm early before Gailis pushed forward to take the lead. Despite a strong effort to spark a return from the deficit, Lopata fell and dropped the first set 6-3. The second set proved to be competitive as Lopata and Gailis kept the score close into the later stages of the set. Lopata battled to hold the deficit to one game and level the match, but the set leaned opposite as she fell 6-3, 6-4. 

VB: Dawgs Sweep Aggies in College Station

The University of Georgia volleyball team traveled to College Station on Sunday, sweeping the host Aggies in three sets (25-23, 25-22, 25-18).

With its third-straight victory, Georgia improves to 13-7 on the season and 4-4 in SEC play.

Kacie Evans led the offense with 14 kills with a whopping .480 hitting percentage. With 12 digs, she also recorded her sixth double-double of the season.

Sophie Fischer tallied 12 kills, four aces, and three blocks for a team-best 18 points.

Texas native Clara Brower led Georgia to a .330 hitting clip, the Dogs’ highest in SEC play this season. She handed out a three-set season-high 40 assists, just missing a double-double with nine digs. 

Other notables included nine kills by Erica Staunton and nine digs by Bailey Cox. As a team, Georgia laid down eight service aces.

A string of three-straight aces by Fischer gave Georgia a 5-2 advantage early in the opening set. The Dogs held the lead into the first set media break, leading the Aggies 15-12. The Aggies (14-6, 6-4) sliced the Dogs’ advantage to one, 16-15, but Georgia didn’t relinquish the lead. Georgia drew set point on an Evans kill, 24-21, but Texas A&M stayed alive, making it 24-23, and forcing Georgia’s final timeout. A kill from Staunton finished the set off for Georgia, 25-23. Evans tallied six kills in the opener on a .455 hitting clip ahead of Fischer’s four on a .444 percentage.

Georgia had to play catchup to open the second set, trailing as much as four, 9-5. Brower won a joust at the net for a kill that started a 3-0 run to give Georgia its first lead of the set, 13-12. Another three-point run put the Dogs in front 17-14. Knotted at 19, an Evans kill, and a Bulldog block put Georgia back in front 21-19. The Dogs held on to win the set, 25-22, taking a 2-0 lead in the match. Georgia hit a strong .452 in the second set as a squad and put up four blocks in the frame. Staunton’s five kills in the second came on a .714 hitting percentage.

An early 8-5 Georgia lead was erased on a 5-0 Aggie run in the third. Georgia responded with three-straight to retake the lead, 11-10. A 4-1 run shortly after widened Georgia’s lead back to three, 16-13, prompting an Aggie break. With Georgia holding on to a 19-17 lead, a 6-1 Bulldog run closed out the match for Georgia, 25-18, completing the road sweep of the Aggies.

Georgia returns to Athens to open a three-match homestand beginning Friday, Oct. 27, hosting No. 23 Auburn at Stegeman Coliseum at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs then host Mississippi State Sunday, Oct. 29.

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