(Photo by John Kelley)
Perez, ranked 29th nationally, defeated LSU’s Joana Vale Costa, ranked 20th, after saving a match point trailing 5-2 in the second set. Perez then won 11 of the next 13 games, taking the final two sets and a big singles win.
“Another stellar day for the Dawgs out here in California,” said Associate Head Coach Drake Bernstein. “Ellen had the best comeback of the year so far and then played some of her best tennis in the third set for the win.”
She also saw success in doubles action as she and partner Mariana Gould, who combine to form the No. 20 national pair, won two matches on the day to move into the final eight of the doubles bracket. The first win of the day for the Perez-Gould combo came over Julia Courter and Paula Rincon-Otero of Minnesota, also ranked No. 20, 8-5.
Arguably the biggest win of the tournament so far, Perez and Gould then knocked the No. 6 pairing of Desirae Krawczyck and Stephanie Vlad out of the tournament with an 8-6 victory.
“The icing on the cake today was Ellen and Mariana taking out the No. 6 pair in the country,” Bernstein added. “We have had tough, long days out here but we are doing a great job finishing the way we start them. Our preseason conditioning is definitely paying off.”
The 16th-ranked pairing of Silvia Garcia and Kennedy Shaffer won its initial match against Nevada’s Sheila Morales Hidalgo-Blaga Delic, ranked 27th, by an 8-5 tally. The pair lost its next match, though, falling 8-6 to the third-ranked duo of Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr of California.
In tomorrow’s action, Perez-Gould will face the 39th-ranked pair of Beatrice Capra and Ellyse Hamlin of Duke. In singles play, Perez will take on Ohio State’s Francesa Di Lorenzo for a spot in the quarterfinals.
For all the latest on Georgia women’s tennis, follow the team on Twitter (@UGAWomensTennis) or keep checking in to georgiadogs.com
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RESULTS
MAIN DRAW SINGLES
#29 Ellen Perez def. #20 Joana Vale Costa (LSU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
MAIN DRAW DOUBLES 1
#16 Silvia Garcia-Kennedy Shaffer def. #27 Sheila Morales Hidalgo-Blaga Delic (Nevada) 6-5
#20 Perez-Mariana Gould def. #20 Julia Courter – Paula Rincon-Otero (Minnesota) 8-5
MAIN DRAW DOUBLES 2
#20 Perez-Gould def. #6 Desirae Krawczyck-Stephanie Vlad (Arizona State) 8-6
#3 Maegan Manasse-Denise Starr (California) def. #16 Garcia-Shaffer 8-6
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