The top-seeded University of Georgia women’s tennis team performed to a 4-0 win Saturday over Alabama State in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. 

Georgia improves to 24-1 overall, including a perfect 10-0 record at home, this season. The Bulldogs will face Wake Forest for the second year in a row in the NCAA Second Round tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. Last season, the Bulldogs ousted Wake Forest in the second round, 4-0. The 22-ranked Demon Deacons defeated Austin Peay in the morning match to up their record to 21-8.

“It’s great to get that first win under our belt,” Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace said. “We’ve worked really hard all year to create an opportunity to play at home, and we want to make sure we take advantage of that opportunity. I think we did a good job with that today, and so we’re looking to get through this weekend, get our hydration, get our food, study a little bit for finals and get ourselves ready for what comes next.”

Due to Alabama State having only five active players, the Lady Hornets had to forfeit a doubles court and a singles court, making a quick match.

Georgia’s duo of Meg Kowalski and Marta Gonzalez at court two improved their overall record to 12-6 this season with a 6-0 victory to secure the doubles point. The Bulldogs took the win on court three by default, leaving the contest on court one unfinished with Georgia’s team of Katarina Jokic and Lourdes Carle leading, 4-0. Georgia has now won the doubles point in 12-straight matches.

Georgia began singles play with a 2-0 lead on account of a forfeit on court six. Jokic, Gonzalez, Carle, Elena Christofi and Kowalski played at courts one, two, three, four and five, respectively. The Bulldogs earned first-set wins on all five courts, with Carle and Christofi blanking their opponents to head into the second sets.

Lourdes controlled her match for its entirety on court three to take the 6-0, 6-0, victory and upped Georgia’s lead to 3-0. Kowalski followed suit soon after, winning on court five by a score of 6-1, 6-0, to seal the Bulldogs’ 4-0 win over Alabama State.

Georgia improved its all-time NCAA record to 80-30, including 31 first round wins.

Admission tickets for tomorrow’s second round in Athens are $5 for adults and $3 for youth (college age and younger). All tickets can be purchased at the gate beginning one hour before the first match.