Armando Yanez
Sports Communications Graduate Assistant
University of Georgia Athletic Association
Despite trailing for the first time in seven matches, the No. 10 Georgia women’s tennis team capped off its five-match road trip with a comeback 4-2 victory over No. 22 South Carolina at the Carolina Tennis Center on Sunday.
The victory extends the Bulldogs’ (9-3, 4-0 SEC) winning streak to seven matches, now going 2-0 against the Gamecocks (9-4, 1-3 SEC) this season while improving to 54-17 all-time against South Carolina.
Opening with double play, Georgia dropped the doubles decision for the first time in seven matches.
The No. 34 tandem of Mai Nirundorn and Guillermina Grant struck first with a dominant 6-0 victory over Shahar Biran and Elise Mills (SCAR) on court two.
Courts one and three were tight from start to finish, but the Gamecocks would prevail on both courts to take the doubles point.
Trailing as they headed into singles play, the back end of the lineup came up big and served as the spark once again for the Bulldogs this weekend.
On court six, No. 78 Nirundorn returned to the lineup and capped off a perfect solo day of competition as she blanked her opponent Olympe Lancelot (SCAR) 6-0, 6-0. The Bangkok, Thailand-native won 18 games of singles and doubles without dropping a single set on the day.
After a South Carolina win on court two to lead 2-1, Georgia leveled the score within minutes as No. 98 Anastasiia Lopata came back from trailing 4-0 in the first set to win 12 straight games and knock off Misa Malkin (SCAR), 6-4, 6-0 on court four.
Action continued across the remaining three courts before No. 68 Mell Reasco pieced together a hard-fought 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over #125 Biran (SCAR) to hand the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead.
"I’m really proud of Mell coming up big for us when we needed her point today," said Bernstein. "She was very composed and committed to herself through the ends of both sets today. Mai was also an obvious highlight, winning 6-0 in doubles and 6-0, 6-0 in singles, setting a strong tone for us twice during the day."
With both courts one and five deep into the third set, it was Grant once again to deliver the clincher as she came back to defeat Mills (SCAR) 6(8)-7, 6-3, 6-3, earning the Red and Black the win to remain undefeated in SEC play.
"This was one of those days where our team really helped each other out with momentum after dropping a tight doubles point. After a long stretch on the road, we are eager to get back to Athens and play on our home courts again on Friday," said Bernstein.
Georgia will now return back to Athens and prepare for its conference home opener where it will host No. 13 Texas A&M on Friday, March 15 at 5 p.m. ET followed by No. 34 LSU on Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m. ET at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
No. 10 GEORGIA vs No. 13 TEXAS A&M
Date: Friday, March 15
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: Athens, Ga.
Venue: Dan Magill Tennis Complex
Live Video/Scoring: https://gado.gs/9y9
No. 10 GEORGIA vs No. 34 LSU
Date: Sunday, March 17
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Athens, Ga.
Venue: Dan Magill Tennis Complex
Live Video/Scoring: https://gado.gs/9y9
Singles Results
No. 8 Ayana Akli (SCAR) vs. No. 29 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA), 1-6, 7-6(2), 1-5 (unfinished)
No. 10 Sarah Hamner (SCAR) def. No. 25 Alexandra Vecic (UGA), 6-2, 6-2
No. 68 Mell Reasco (UGA) def. No. 125 Shahar Biran (SCAR), 7-6(3), 6-3
No. 98 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Misa Malkin (SCAR), 6-4, 6-0
Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. Elise Mills (SCAR), 6(8)-7, 6-3, 6-3
No. 78 Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Olympe Lancelot (SCAR), 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Results
No. 41 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SCAR) def. No. 8 Aysegul Mert/Dasha Vidmanova (UGA), 7-6(3)
No. 34 Guillermina Grant/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SCAR), 6-0
Olympe Lancelot/Misa Malkin (SCAR) def. Alexandra Vecic/Mell Reasco (UGA), 7-5
Match Notes:
No. 10 Georgia (9-3, 4-0 SEC)
No. 22 South Carolina (9-4, 1-3 SEC)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,2,4,3,5)
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