The No. 2-ranked Georgia women’s tennis team shut out No. 21 Texas A&M, 4-0, Sunday afternoon to complete the Southeastern Conference home weekend sweep at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The Bulldogs (11-0, 3-0 SEC) took the doubles point for the fourth straight match, and then took all six first sets in singles to gain full control of the match. Sophomore Vivian Wolff, junior Marta Gonzalez and freshman Meg Kowalski won the second-set race to earn singles wins and secure the team match. Texas A&M dropped to 14-3 on the season and 2-2 in conference play.
“I thought we really did a good job, really every court,” Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace said. “Players just being very coachable, doing what you want them to do and just focused in and fighting and finding ways to win points, games and sets in the match. Even when we stopped play, the other ones we had leads in and were looking good there, too, so I thought it was maybe our most complete match start to finish in both singles and doubles this year.”
Rain overnight and in then morning delayed the match’s start 15 minutes, but for the first time in three outdoor match attempts, the Bulldogs enjoyed the confines of the Henry Feild courts instead of the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Courts.
Off the opening serve in doubles, Georgia was cruising, getting up 3-1 on all three courts. First to finish was court three’s duo of Gonzalez and Kowalski as they won three straight games to defeat Riley McQuaid and Lucia Quiterio, 6-1, on a Gonzalez shot at the net. The Georgia junior-freshman duo is 3-for-3 in dual matches. The doubles clinch came from court two’s tandem of junior Elena Christofi and Wolff, who also are perfect together in dual season at 4-0. Christofi and Wolff beat Aggies’ freshmen team of Renee McBryde and Katya Townsend, 6-3.
Through the first three games of singles, Georgia was leading in five of the six courts, including 3-0 on courts four, five and six. Wolff, ranked No. 35 in ITA singles, blanked her opponent, McBryde, in the first set and was first off the court with a 6-0, 6-3 final to give the Bulldogs the 2-0 lead. The victory upped her winning streak to five matches, putting her season total at 17-3 with a 9-1 dual record.
Next, Gonzalez, ranked No. 16, notched her 11th ranked win of the season as she bested No. 100 Jayci Goldsmith, 6-2, 6-3, on court two. Gonzalez, of Madrid, Spain, improved to 20-7 overall and is just one win away from tying her win total from last season.
“She’s got it going on, doesn’t she,” Wallace commented on a Gonzalez fan group. “That’s pretty neat to get some student body out here, and they’re making signs and enjoying being here and getting her pumped up, and it’s exciting.”
Lastly for the second straight match, Kowalski, ranked No. 95, clinched the team win on court six. The Chicago native increased her unblemished record to 13-0 with nine dual wins by defeating Dorthea Faa-Hviding, 6-2, 6-1.
At the time of clinch, Christofi was leading 5-3, while Lourdes Carle and sophomore Katarina Jokic were up 4-3 on their respective courts.
The Bulldogs hit the road for their next two SEC matches. First, Georgia plays No. 45 Florida on Friday, March 8th at 5 p.m., and then No. 9 South Carolina that Sunday at 1 p.m.