ATHENS — Georgia is off and running at the NCAA tennis championships in Lake Nona, Fla. The No. 3-ranked women’s team scored a decisive 4-1 win over Virginia in the round of 16 on Sunday and the 11-seeded men’s team springs into action Monday at 10 a.m. against No. 6 North Carolina on the USTA National Campus.
In the women’s tournament, Georgia sophomore Lea Ma sealed the win for the Bulldogs with third-set, tiebreaker win over No. 9-ranked Natasha Subhash. The 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory represented the first top-10 win for No. 55-ranked Ma in her collegiate career. She is now 1-1 on the season against top-10 foes this season.
“Just an incredible battle,” Georgia coach Jeff Wallace said. “It’s what the NCAA tournament should be all about, just great teams fighting and scratching and trying to find ways to win.”
With the victory the Bulldogs (23-1) advance to take on No. 6 N.C. State in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The Wolfpack (19-5) defeated Southern Cal 4-1. No. 1 North Carolina (4-0 over Cal) and No. 2 Texas (4-1 Ohio State) also advanced to the women’s quarterfinals.
The Bulldogs’ storied men’s team is making its 42nd NCAA Tournament appearance. Georgia (16-6) draws the Tar Heels (21-3) for Monday’s match. It’s the sixth time in the last 10 years the Bulldogs have met UNC in the tournament. The Tar Heels lead 3-2 in those matches, but Georgia is 13-10 against them all time.
“Our guys are well prepared,” Georgia coach Manuel Diaz said. “It’s been a great year. In the first and second rounds, our guys showed tremendous resolve against some good teams that really played hard against us. We’re playing very well, so I feel good about where we are.”
Georgia defeated ETSU and No. 25 Texas Tech — both by 4-0 scores — in the NCAA first and second rounds.
The Lady Dogs’ 4-1 win over Virginia wasn’t as easy as the final score might indicate. At one point, Georgia trailed in two of the three doubles matches before the No. 1 team of Katarina Jokic and Ariana Arsenault rallied for a 6-4 victory. Ma and Meg Kowalski also won in No. 3 doubles.
Georgia got straight-set victories in single from Kowalski and Marta Gonzalez before Ma’s clinching three-setter. Georgia’s Morgan Coppoc fell in three sets at No. 4 singles.
LADY DOGS 4, VIRGINIA 1
Doubles:
1. #6 Katarina Jokic/Ariana Arseneault (UGA) def. #21 Rosie Johanson/Emma Navarro (VA) 6-4
2. Elena Christofi/Morgan Coppoc (UGA) def. #17 Sofia Munera/Natasha Subhash (VA) 6-2
3. Vivian Glozman/Hibah Shaikh (VA) def. Lea Ma/Meg Kowalski (UGA) 6-2
Singles:
1. #4 Katarina Jokic (UGA) vs. #3 Emma Navarro (VA) 6-4, 5-7, 5-3, unfinished
2. #55 Lea Ma (UGA) def. #9 Natasha Subhash (VA) 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. #20 Meg Kowalski (UGA) def. #90 Rosie Johanson (VA) 6-3, 6-3
4. Hibah Shaikh (VA) def. #68 Morgan Coppoc (UGA) 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
5. #52 Marta Gonzalez (UGA) def. Amber O’Dell (VA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
6. Elena Christofi (UGA) vs. Sofia Munera (VA) 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 5-4, unfinished
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