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Women’s Round of 16 – Upsets Rule The Day

by | May 19, 2016 | Blog | 2 comments

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Projected Lineups

Round of 16 Schedule – Tulsa, OK – Thursday
[3] North Carolina vs. [14] Virginia – 10am ET/9am CT – UVA 4-2
[6] Vanderbilt vs. [11] Auburn  – 10am ET/9am CT – Vanderbilt 4-0
[7] Miami vs. [10] Michigan – 1pm ET/Noon CT – Michigan 4-3
[2] Florida vs. [15] Stanford – 1pm ET/Noon CT – Stanford 4-3
[1] California vs. [16] Texas Tech – 5pm ET/4pm CT – Cal 4-0
[8] Pepperdine vs. [17-32] Texas – 5pm ET/4pm CT – Pepperdine 4-0
[5] Georgia vs. [12] Oklahoma State – 8pm ET/7pm CT – Oklahoma State 4-0
[4] Ohio State vs. [17-32] Georgia Tech – 8pm ET/7pm CT – Live Scoring – Ohio State 4-2

Links to Note:
Host Site
Live Scoring/Video
Live Scoring/Video (Stillwater)

Women’s Round of 16 Results

#14 Virginia (19-10) def. #3 North Carolina (31-3), 4-2 
Michael D. Case Tennis Center 9 a.m.
Head Coaches: Brian Kalbas (North Carolina) and Mark Guilbeau (Virginia)
Doubles
1. #18 Danielle Collins/Meghan Kelley (UVA) def. #2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (UNC), 6-4 
2. Cassie Mercer/Stephanie Nauta (UVA) def. Jessie Aney/Kate Vialle (UNC), 6-2
3. Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) def. Julia Elbaba/Erica Susi (UVA), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
1. #1 Hayley Carter (North Carolina) vs. #2 Danielle Collins (Virginia), 6-4, 2-6, 5-4 DNF 
2. #12 Julia Elbaba (Virginia) def. #41 Whitney Kay (North Carolina), 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3
3. #97 Stephanie Nauta (Virginia) def. #57 Jessie Aney (North Carolina), 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 
4. Meghan Kelley (Virginia) def. Kate Vialle (North Carolina), 6-3, 6-1
5. Marika Akkerman (North Carolina) def. Erica Susi (Virginia), 6-1, 6-1 
6. Ashley Dai (North Carolina) def. Cassie Mercer (Virginia), 6-2, 6-3 
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4, 3, 2

Virginia Head Coach Mark Guilbeau
Opening Statement…
“This was a continuation from the ACC semifinals, where we were in a good position to win and suffered a late injury. We were close with North Caro- lina all season. This year we knew there wasn’t much of a margin between us. Today, our tactics were a little different in singles and doubles and that was the difference. I’m so proud of our players. The way we played doubles was remarkable tennis and we just fought hard the rest of the way.
Meghan Kelley, Virginina (#4 singles)
“I was the aggressor in my match today. It’s crazy how much I’ve progressed since the beginning of the year. I’ve made a big improvement and I play more aggressive tennis.
North Carolina Head Coach Brian Kalbas
Opening Statement…
“I am just proud of our team. We lost the doubles point, and in both of our previous match-ups this season we won the doubles point. We didn’t hang our heads, and we came back and won a lot of first sets. I put our players in position to win the match, but give Virginia a lot of credit they played really well. They definitely out-coached us, and they definitely deserve it. It is tough to beat a really good team three times in one season, and unfor- tunately we couldn’t do it today.
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#6 Vanderbilt (22-5) def. #11 Auburn (24-8), 4-0 
Michael D. Case Tennis Center 9 a.m.
Head Coaches: Geoff Macdonald (Vanderbilt) and Lauren Spencer (Auburn)
Doubles
1. #14 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (VU) def. #8 Pleun Burgmans/Alizee Michaud (AU), 6-4 
2. Andie Dikosavljevic/Alannah Griffin (AU) vs. Frances Altick/Astra Sharma (VU), 5-4 DNF
3. Fernanda Contreras/Georgina Sellyn (VU) def.. Paula de Man/Caroline Turner (AU), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles
1. #20 Andie Dikosavljevic (Auburn) vs. #18 Sydney Campbell (Vanderbilt), 6-2, 4-6, 5-1 DNF 
2. #31 Alizee Michaud (Auburn) vs. #14 Frances Altick (Vanderbilt), 6-2, 3-6, 5-1 DNF
3. #32 Astra Sharma (Vanderbilt) def. #70 Pleun Burgmans (Auburn), 7-6 (0), 6-4
4. Courtney Colton (Vanderbilt) def. Alannah Griffin (Auburn), 6-4, 7-5
5. Fernanda Contreras (Vanderbilt) def. Paula de Man (Auburn), 6-1, 6-1
6. Caroline Turner (Auburn) vs. Georgina Sellyn (Vanderbilt), 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 DNF 
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3

Vanderbilt Head Coach Geoff Macdonald
Opening Statement…
“We knew Auburn was a very good team. We beat them 4-3 a few weeks ago. In fact Corutney won the last match, down 4-1 in the third and came back and won 6-4. We have the utmost respect for that team. We know how good they are. I actually think they’re getting better and they’re extreme- ly tough competiters and getting a victory over them is an accomplishment.
When you went up 3-0 does it get in your mind we need to close this out quickly.
“In tennis the momentum can swing so quickly. I try not to, and just focus on what the tactics should be on this court, and not get ahead of myself. I really try to do that, because I’ve done it before in matches because you can think you’ve won, but you really haven’t until that last point has been put in the bag.
With winning the championship lst year, does that put added pressure on you…
“I think there was a lot of pressure early in the year, but it’s kind of dissipated as the year has gone on. I’m really proud of these young people as to the way they’ve handled it. We’ve put it behind us, that was a great accomplishment, let’s go into a new year. We’ve tried to put that pressure behind us. It’s great to be here. It’s a great opportunity.
What are your thoughts after the first win here…
“You’ve survived and have taken a step deeper. You just go into the next match and get ready to battle. We have a day off. We’re thrilled to be advancing.
Courtney Colton, Vanderbilt (#4 singles)
With you winning the clinching match last time did that give you confidence going into this match against Alannah…
“Yes. I kind of had an idea of how I was going to play against the girl (Alannah Griffin) coming into the match, so that helped going into it, and being down 4-1 and then coming back. It helped when I was down in both sets today. I remembered that feeling, knowing that I came back then, and I can do it again today. I had a feeleing that even though I’m down I could stick with it and get through it.
Talk about your match…
“In the first set I was down 3-1 , 4-2 and won four games in a row to close out the set. I started off the second set better, but got down 5-3, and then again won four games in a row to kind of close it out. But it starts with one point. Thinking… Let’s get a ball in, and get your rhythym back, and the next thing you know I’m up 6-5 and trying to serve it out.
Auburn Head Coach Lauren Spencer

“I have to give a lot of credit to Vanderbilt. I think they played a really, really tough match. You can definitely tell they are a very good tournament team. They came out and just really set the tone for match, and so you have to give them all the credit. I think we had an unbelievable year; this was a very big learning experience for us. I think the girls fought hard, but Vanderbilt was too much for us today.
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#10 Michigan (23-6) def. #7 Miami (21-6), 4-3
May 19, 2016 at Tulsa, OK (Michael D. Case Tennis Center  Indoors)
Head Coaches: Paige Yaroshuk-Tews (Miami) and Ronni Bernstein (Michigan)
Doubles
1. #11 Brienne Minor/Mira Ruder-Hook (Mich) def. #12 Stephanie Wagner/Wendy Zhang (Miami), 6-2 2. Sinead Lohan/Clara Tanielian (Miami) def. Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (Mich), 6-2
3. Kara Hall/Ronit Yurovsky (Mich) def. Silvia Fuentes/Ana Madcur (Miami), 6-4
Singles
1. #15 Ronit Yurovsky (Michigan) def. #9 Stephanie Wagner (Miami), 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1 
2. #8 Sinead Lohan (Miami) def. #19 Brienne Minor (Michigan), 6-3, 6-2
3. #68 Kate Fahey (Michigan) def. #75 Wendy Zhang (Miami), 6-2, 6-1
4. Silvia Fuentes (Miami) def. Alex Najarian (Michigan), 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
5. Mira Ruder-Hook (Michigan) def. Clara Tanielian (Miami), 6-1, 6-2 
6. Ana Madcur (Miami) def. Teona Velehorschi (Michigan), 6-4, 6-4 
Match Notes
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,2,6,4,1)
Doubles was played outdoors with a rain delay in the middle while singles was played indoors several hours later

Michigan Head Coach Ronni Bernstein
Opening Statement…
“It was gutsy, especially from Ronit, sitting next to me. The doubles were obviously huge, it came down in the end and Ronit too came through and the double. Miami is such a tough out, I feel like they are always tough and they have been in this situation before and they make you play and for Ronit to come through there after being down a set 4-1 and just flipping that match because we really needed it was just huge and the level of her tennis was really good.
On keeping things together with the long delays and weather…
“It is tough, it is tough for both teams because we didn’t know. We tried to go back out, we finished the doubles point so we went out again. With my team I don’t really have a hard time keeping them together because they are so close so we just kind of hung out. I didn’t really want them watching the Stanford and Florida match, just stay away from tennis for a little bit and just chill and just get ready. The situation was tough but it’s also not a bad thing for us to go indoors, I think we are definitely more used to it than Miami so it worked out for us.
Back to the weather, was that an advantage for you…On playing indoors…
“We have played out and had some good ones this year. Clearly, we are more used to being indoors than Miami they don’t have too many indoor courts down there so we were probably at more of an advantage if you think about it on paper for us but it was a battle. We struggled, it took three singles and it took every ounce of us. They play so hard and they compete so hard in Miami and wherever it was we were going to play hard and compete for each other and Michigan whether it was in or out. We were just happy to get on the court and start the match.
You play a lot of indoor matches especially in January and February …
“We have been out more, but either way we are just excited to get through, it was tough.
After going 3-0 then Miami tying it 3-3, on Ronit having to hold on and fight…
“She was in a tough situation there down a set in 4-1 but 3-0 you got to get to four, the three on the board doesn’t do you any good you got to get that fourth point and we tried to fight back in some of those other matches but we just came up a little bit short but Ronit, our senior, playing Wagoner who is a senior from Miami and won a ton of matches for them and it came down to some great tennis there and Ronit really stepped up.
On if beating Miami in indoor championships previously gave gave you any ease.
“I don’t know if it is ease, it is the NCAA tournament round of 16 and we did beat them and I feel like we can play with every team here but every match up was different this time. You just don’t know, we didn’t have one singles match-up the same this time. We played really well at spots today, but I don’t know that I ever felt at ease the whole time during that match. None of the singles were the same, so it is just completely different because early in the season your line-up and things just move around a little bit so you just don’t know.
Ronit Yurovsky, Michigan (#1 player)
Talk about when you were down 4-1…
“I think I started to get a little nervous.I was down a set, and I started looking at the scoreboard and I probably shouldn’t have. I saw that the other matches were getting pretty close and they were slowly slipping away from us. But, then I just started to zone in from 4-1, and then went 4-2, and then 4-3, I thought okay I can do this. I just had to zone in and focus on my court and stop worrying about how the other girls were doing, aand then I won that set, and it just went pretty well from that point.
Miami Head Coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews
Opening Statement…
“Michigan played a great match. There at the end on court No. 1 there were two great players battling it out. We lost a little bit of momentum in that match (No. 1), but that had a lot to do with Ronit. She (Ronit) has improved immensely, and today she was ripping her forehand. Ronit played great tennis, and she played great tennis in big moments and that’s what you need to do on this stage.
On making the top-16 and making it to Tulsa
“It’s a great atmosphere with a lot of energy. Obviously, we are happy to be here, but we are bummed that we couldn’t pull out the 4-3 victory. A lot of credit goes to Michigan as they played really well on some courts, which made it hard for us to sink our teeth into the match like we wanted to. All in all, I am really proud of where these girls came from. We lost a big player early in the season, and these kids really pulled it together.
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#15 Stanford (17-5) def. #2 Florida (23-3), 4-3

May 19, 2016 at Tulsa, OK (Michael D. Case Tennis Center  Indoors)
Head Coaches: Roland Thornqvist (Florida) and Lele Forood (Stanford)
Doubles
1. #3 Brooke Austin/Kourtney Keegan (UF) def. #5 Taylor Davidson/Caroline Doyle (Stanford), 6-2 
2. #42 Josie Kuhlman/Belinda Woolcock (UF) vs. #31 Melissa Lord/Carol Zhao (Stanford), 4-3 DNF 
3. #64 Anna Danilina/Brianna Morgan (UF) def. Krista Hardebeck/Caroline Lampl (Stanford), 6-1 Order of Finish: 1, 3
Singles
1. #25 Carol Zhao (Stanford) def. #4 Brooke Austin (Florida), 6-4, 6-4
2. #46 Taylor Davidson (Stanford) def. #11 Belinda Woolcock (Florida), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3
3. Brianna Morgan (Florida) def. #67 Caroline Doyle (Stanford), 7-6 (4), 6-3
4. #40 Kourtney Keegan (Florida) def. #100 Krista Hardebeck (Stanford), 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
5. Caroline Lampl (Stanford) def. Josie Kuhlman (Florida), 6-4, 6-4
6. Melissa Lord (Stanford) def. #63 Anna Danilina (Florida), 3-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 3, 6, 2

Stanford Head Coach Lele Forood
On the match…
“Playing Florida is always an amazing experience. They took it to us in doubles, but we had great spirit, heart, and attitude in singles to come back and win. Two amazing performances by freshmen Caroline (Lampl) and Melissa (Lord) at 5 and 6 singles. Melissa played Danilina three times this year and this was her first victory. Today was the second key performance by Taylor (Davidson) in as many weeks. If she doesn’t win her match against Texas A&M last weekend, we don’t even get to play this weekend.
Taylor Davidson, Stanford (#2 singles)
On her performance today…
“I was not even finished with my first set by the time some of my teammates were in their third sets. I got the feeling that I was going to be one of the ones still playing in the end early on. I was looking around next to me throughout the match and I noticed my teammates really fighting hard, and it just gave me a lot of energy to comeback to take the second set. Last week, we had a 4-3 match against Texas A&M, and I just think that if I hadn’t played that match most recently that it would have been a very different day for me. I had a lot of confidence just from looking over at my teammates who are getting pumped up, and at that time I was cramping and nothing felt good. I just got to keep feeding off of my teammates energy.
On recovering from four straight double faults…
“There really is no choice in that situation, unless you just want to go down in flames and I don’t want that regret for the rest of my life. I think having short-term memory in that situation helps, because I did not want to serve her the game. I think that I had broken her three times earlier in that set so I had a lot of confidence.
Florida Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
On the match…
“It’s terribly disappointing obviously, we have had such a remarkable year. Playing Stanford in the round of 16, we played them earlier (this year) and it was a match just like this one, last match on, last point on. I think we were ready for it, but you also sort of have to say congrats to Stanford, because they were excellent at the end. They had to turn two matches where we won the first set, and they won in three (sets). They were able to do it and that does not happen that often against us. We are pleased with the year overall, but right now it really hurts.

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#1 California (22-1) def. #16 Texas Tech (25-6), 4-0 
May 19, 2016 at Tulsa, OK (Michael D. Case Tennis Center Indoors)
Head Coaches: Amanda Augustus (California) and Todd Petty (Texas Tech) 
Doubles 
1. #4 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) vs. Gabriela Talaba/Alex Valenstein (TT), 4-3 DNF 
2. #90 Klara Fabikova/Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Sabrina Federici/Felicity Maltby (TT), 6-2
3. Lynn Chi/Maria Smith (Cal) def. Sarah Dvorak/Katelyn Jackson (TT), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 2 
Singles 
1. #7 Maegan Manasse (California) vs. #93 Sarah Dvorak (Texas Tech), 6-0, 4-5 DNF 
2. #16 Klara Fabikova (California) vs. #109 Gabriela Talaba (Texas Tech), 6-3, 2-4 DNF 

3. #80 Lynn Chi (California) def. Alex Valenstein (Texas Tech), 6-4, 6-0

4. #88 Denise Starr (California) def. Felicity Maltby (Texas Tech), 6-4, 6-2
5. Olivia Hauger (California) vs. Sabrina Federici (Texas Tech), 6-1, 4-3 DNF
6. Karla Popovic (California) def. Katelyn Jackson (Texas Tech), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 4, 6

California Head Coach Amanda Augustus
Opening Statement…
On tonight’s play after the delay…
“I thought that we were just really excited to get on the courts. We have experienced delays before so we were ready for it, and we were just trying to make sure that we were good and ready to go. They were just so excited to get out there and compete that I knew they were going to be sharp.
On not watching the other match/getting away from tennis…
“I think that it is important, but I also think it’s fun to watch. All the matches here are just such high quality, and our girls know all the other girls from seeing them all season long. I think that it is important, because they need their energy for the match to really try and conserve.
On coming in as the No. 1 seed and the pressure it comes with…
“I think that our goal all season has just been to play one match at a time, and I think that we have developed confidence that way. Everyone here is good, and to win the tournament you have to beat everyone here so we are really just looking at it one match at a time. We weren’t that familiar with Texas Tech so we knew that we would have to be ready and able to adjust.
Denise Starr, California (#4 singles)
On her singles match…
“We came off a big delay, and I felt that we came out strong. I came out a little bit slow at the beginning, but after a game or so I got into the rhythm and found the girl’s weaknesses. I also tried my best to stay focused, and not pay attention to everything that’s going on around me. I played each point like the way I wanted to play each point, and I gave my best and came out with the win.
On what it’s like to wait around as a athlete…
“It’s not the optimal circumstance, but I feel like we dealt with it well today. It is important not to get stiff, cold or do something stupid and I feel like we did that well today. We were ready to go.
Texas Tech Head Coach Todd Petty
A lot of positives on the season, 25-6 record, most wins in program history, and second straight sweet sixteen appearance, talk about the valuable lessons you have learned from this experience…
“Yeah. What I told them was we had to win some big matches to getting into this (NCAAs). We return every single player. We needed to come out and win some of those matches to have the opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the country because the same group is coming back and they need to know what they need to do better to put themselves in position to get better. I think more of the conversation today, is how good is Cal. They were unbelievable. One of the best doubles teams in 8 years I have ever seen play as a group. They’re an unbelievable group and obviously very well coached.

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#8 Pepperdine (24-2) def. #17-32 Texas (16-9), 4-0 
May 19, 2016 at Stillwater, OK (Greenwood Tennis Center)
Head Coaches: Per Nilsson (Pepperdine) and Howard Joffe (Texas) 
Doubles
1. #26 Jean Runglerdkriangkrai/Luisa Stefani (Pepp) def. #16 B Addison/Dani Wagland (TX), 6-4 
2. #19 Matea Cutura/Christine Maddox (Pepp) def. Chelsea Crovetti/Neda Koprcina (TX), 6-1
3. Katie Poluta/Daniella Roldan (TX) def. Laura Gulbe/Dzina Milovanovic (Pepp), 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1 
Singles 
1. #6 Luisa Stefani (Pepperdine) vs. #10 Breaunna Addison (Texas), 7-6 (2), 5-2 DNF 
2. Laura Gulbe (Pepperdine) def. #122 Neda Koprcina (Texas), 6-2, 6-4
3. Dzina Milovanovic (Pepperdine) vs. Dani Wagland (Texas), 2-6, 7-6 (4), 1-1 DNF 
4. Jean Runglerdkriangkrai (Pepperdine) vs. Katie Poluta (Texas), 4-6, 6-0, 2-2 DNF 
5. Matea Cutura (Pepperdine) def. Daniella Roldan (Texas), 6-1, 6-4 
6. Michaela Capannolo (Pepperdine) def. Lana Groenvynck (Texas), 6-4, 6-3 

Order of Finish: 5, 6, 2
Pepperdine Head Coach Per Nilsson
On the win…
“Super proud of the girls right now and happy for them to move on to the next round. It’s not easy for a team to move on into the next rounds of the tournament and to come to the NCAA sweet sixteen and win 4-0 against a really good Texas team feels really good.
On the doubles point…
“We played them earlier in the year and they smoked us in doubles, so I think the girls were out for a little bit of a redemption. We got off to a little bit of a slow start on court three, but everybody else was doing fine. Then three’s starting coming back and that helped everyone else and there is a lot of pressure gone after winning that point, so we were happy to get it.
Next up…
“We have to play really well against the winner of Cal and Texas Tech, we could tell today that it’s all up to us and how we play. If we are going to beat a team like Cal, we have to play really well throughout nine spots. We feel like we can beat anyone when we do that so we are really excited. Go Waves!
Laura Gulbe, Pepperdine (#2 singles)
On the victory…
“We are all happy to beat a good team today, but we are not stopping here. We worked too hard to stop here.
On doubles…
“Of course winning the doubles point is nice, because you are up 1-0, but no one can win the match just on the doubles point so it means something, but not that much.
On clinching…
“I looked around a little bit and realized that it was pretty close, but I didn’t know it was going to come down to me, so I just tried to do my best on every point and of course I wanted to finish the match at 5-4. I mean nobody wants to take it to 5-4 and stop, you all want to finish it off. Michaela finished like two minutes before me so I looked at Luisa’s score and it was 5-2 and you never know, so I just was happy to finish but it was a team effort.
Next up…
“We have to play very good tennis in our next match, but I believe in our team and I believe we can do it… Go Waves!
Texas Head Coach Howard Joffe
On the match and team…
“This is a group who has extracted the most of the ability of the players we had. On that basis, sure, we’re disappointed at the loss, but we’re not disappointed in how much we’ve managed to squeeze and extract out of this group. We’re nothing but prideful. I’m disappointed to say goodbye to Bree (Addison) and to Lana (Groenvynck). Even in the stench of defeat it’s nice that we could get three freshmen, a sophomore and our junior Neda Koprcina the experience of playing at the (NCAA Championships) finals site. Looking to next year and the future in Austin, that will help us out down the line if we’re in this next year and the year after. It’s good to squeeze out a little value in the defeat, getting some experience for a group who hadn’t done this before. I’m just very proud of this team.
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#4 Ohio State (31-2) def. #17-32 Georgia Tech (19-9), 4-2 
May 19, 2016 at Stillwater, OK (Greenwood Tennis Center)
Head Coaches: Melissa Schaub (Ohio State) and Rodney Harmon (Georgia Tech)
Doubles
1. #13 Paige Hourigan/Kendal Woodard (GT) def. #9 Miho Kowase/Anna Sanford (OSU), 4-3 DNF
2. #58 Gabriella De Santis/Sandy Niehaus (OSU) def. Rasheeda McAdoo/Johnnise Renaud (GT), 6-0
3. Francesca Di Lorenzo/Olivia Sneed (OSU) def. Megan Kurey/Natasha Prokhnevska (GT), 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles
1. #3 Francesca Di Lorenzo (Ohio State) def. #34 Johnnise Renaud (Georgia Tech), 6-4, 6-3
2. #39 Paige Hourigan (Georgia Tech) def. #89 Anna Sanford (Ohio State), 6-4, 7-5
3. Rasheeda McAdoo (Georgia Tech) def. #96 Gabriella De Santis (Ohio State), 6-2, 7-5
4. Miho Kowase (Ohio State) def. Kendal Woodard (Georgia Tech), 6-4, 7-5
5. Ferny Angeles Paz (Ohio State) vs. Alexis Prokopuik (Georgia Tech), 6-3, 4-6 DNF
6. #81 Sandy Niehaus (Ohio State) def. Natasha Prokhnevska (Georgia Tech), 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 3, 1, 4

Ohio State Head Coach Melissa Schaub
On the day and moving to Stillwater for your Round fo 16 game…
“It was a long day, a long day for both teams and every team involved, but that is what our team is about. Our team will come out and fight every single day and give it our best shot, and that is what we did today. For two and three doubles to get up 4-0 quickly means a lot to get that momentum under your belt. I couldn’t be more proud.
Talk about advancing…
“At this point in the tournament it isn’t about forehand and backhand, but about competing and fighting and willing to step up in the big moment. That is what we’ll try to preach on Saturday and hopefully for a few more matches. We competed hard. We knew it was going to be a fight and that is what we got. We know it is late, but we know we have a job to do and every match will be tough, but we’ll get ready for Saturday.
Georgia Tech Head Coach Rodney Harmon
On the match tonight…

“It was a tough match today. I felt like Ohio State really came out and jumped on us in doubles, even though we were winning at 1, we just couldn’t get going at 2 and 3. But, Ohio State did an excellent job of taking us out of control of the match. They were sharp with their returns, they poached
at the right times and I thought they did a really good job of getting the momentum and keeping it. Then in singles, it was just a battle, but it’s hard getting down a point to them in doubles because they are so rough in singles. I thought Rasheeda (McAdoo) and Paige (Hourigan) did a great job to pull our two good wins. I think Alexis (Prokopuik) had just split sets, we just couldn’t get enough going anywhere else. So, kudos to Ohio State. But, I’m really happy by how we fought and how the girls represented Georgia Tech. I think we have a bright future and I think its good, especially for our underclassmen, to come to the Sweet Sixteen so for the next time that we’re here, we’re ready to go.
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Oklahoma State advanced to the Elite 8 for the first time in school history with an authoritative 4-0 shutout over the No. 5 seed Georgia. The Cowboys won the doubles point for the 29th time in 30 tries when Viktoriya Lushkova came back from 0-40 down to clinch a 6-4 win at No. 2. Georgia’s best chance to break came on this point at 30-40

Here was the deciding point that gave Oklahoma State the 1-0 lead – also note the large crowd that was still on hand at 10:20 p.m.

Each team would take three opening sets in singles but while Oklahoma State was able to close a few out in straight sets Georgia would not be as fortunate. The only match that was really never in doubt was at No. 3 singles as OSU’s Viktoriya Lushkova rolled over Silvia Garcia. Garcia showed a little life to start the second set and actually was up a break at 2-1 but Lushkova came back and won the final five games to close it 6-1, 6-2.

It looked like Georgia’s Ellen Perez was going to force a third set at No. 1 when she led 5-2 in the second but her shoulder started giving her some trouble. Here is a photo of the trainer working on her shoulder after she got broke while serving for the set up 5-3.

Oklahoma State’s Katarina Adamovic held to even it at 5-5 and then the two exchanged holds to send it to a tiebreak. Adamovic jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and never looked back and ended up winning it 7-3.

Oklahoma State’s lead was now 3-0 but it looked like Georgia was about to put a point on board because Laura Patterson led Carla Tur Mari 6-3, 5-3 at No. 6. Tur Mari wouldn’t go away and would take the next four games to force a third set.

After Patterson dropped her set at No. 6, it looked like Mariana Gould might be the one to give Georgia a boost but she would get broke twice serving for the second set at No. 5.

Oklahoma State was winning all the close points and they just wouldn’t Georgia back in the match. Sophomore Vladica Babic would be the one to finally finish Georgia off as she held on the deciding point to defeat Kennedy Shaffer 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

#12 Oklahoma State (27-4) def. #5 Georgia (22-5), 4-0 
May 19, 2016 at Tulsa, OK (Michael D. Case Tennis Center  Indoors)
Head Coaches: Jeff Wallace (Georgia) and Chris Young (Oklahoma State)
Doubles
1. #10 Mariana Gould/Ellen Perez (UGA) def. #43 Maria Alvarez/Kelsey Laurente (OSU), 6-4
2. #54 Viktoriya Lushkova/Carla Tur Mari (OSU) def. #81 S Garcia/Kennedy Shaffer (UGA), 6-4
3. #79 Katarina Adamovic/Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Caroline Brinson/Laura Patterson (UGA), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. #47 Katarina Adamovic (Oklahoma State) def. #5 Ellen Perez (Georgia), 7-5, 7-6 (3)
2. #44 Vladica Babic (Oklahoma State) def. #28 Kennedy Shaffer (Georgia), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. #66 Viktoriya Lushkova (Oklahoma State) def. #116 Silvia Garcia (Georgia), 6-1, 6-2
4. Kelsey Laurente (Oklahoma State) vs. #30 Caroline Brinson (Georgia), 5-7, 6-4, 4-1 DNF
5. Katarina Stresnakova (Oklahoma State) vs. Mariana Gould (Georgia), 7-6 (3), 6-6 DNF
6. Laura Patterson (Georgia) vs. Carla Tur Mari (Oklahoma State), 6-3, 5-7, 5-3 DNF

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

Oklahoma State Chris Young
Opening Statement…
“The theme for our team going into post-season has been to overcome. We have overcome some many things from this year and this semester, and so that was our theme coming into it. We talked about it as the day went on that this was just another situation with adversity that we would have
to overcome. Even as the match went on and the lights went out, we just kept telling the girls that we have to overcome the adversity. I think that is what this team is really built on, and we thrive on it. Our ability to overcome just shows the heart that this team has. In the three first sets that we lost we bounced back to win each of the second sets. Our girls continue to overcome anything that is put in their way, and I think that’s what makes them special.
On what advancing to the final eight means for the program…
“From the beginning of the season we felt it was set up well with us hosting the Big 12 tournament, and the first and second rounds of the NCAA’s. Coming to the great facility just an hour down the road we felt like we could gain a lot of momentum for our program. I think that early on we put a little bit too much pressure on ourselves to do all those things, but as we started building we started realizing that this is something special that we could do for Oklahoma State. We had a huge number of fans that stayed until 1:00 a.m. and I can’t wait to see the type of crowd that we are going to get on Saturday.
Vladica Babic, Oklahoma State (#2 singles)
On keeping her composure in her singles match…
“I think that my opponent played very well, but I just tried to stay focused on the match. We all tried to pick up each other a little bit so we were cheering really loud. I was just focusing on every point, and I just told myself I should just play one point at a time. I felt a lot of confidence in the third set, and now we are all happy and excited. This is the first time we are in the final eight, and that is another goal for us accomplished. This is a great season for us.
Georgia Head Coach Jeff Wallace
What went wrong tonight…
“The first thing you have to do is take your hat off to Oklahoma State. They really played a great match against us. We had our moments and our opportunities. For the most part this year in those moments we’ve really stepped up, played to win, played some great tennis. Tonight it really wasn’t there for us, but I think Oklahoma State had more energy and the level they came and played with certainly had a lot to do with that. We’re disap- pointed to get beat here in the Sweet Sixteen. We were looking for a great week, but this team has had a pretty darn solid year overall. One thing I want to say is Silvia Garcia had a great career for us, our only senior. Next year, hopefully, we learn a lot from this and everything else that has happened to us this year. We really look forward to hosting this thing in Athens next year. It wasn’t there for us tonight, unfortunately.

2 Comments

  1. 181
    181 on Thu March 19, 2020 at 6:24 pm

    Is there anyone more clutch than Davidson at Stanford.

    Reply
  2. 181
    181 on Thu March 19, 2020 at 6:24 pm

    Hats off to the Big Ten women! Ohio is deep and may take it. Michigan, not so deep.

    Reply

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