University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Tech Clinches Berth In NCAA Title Match
May 22, 2007 | General
ATHENS, Ga. ---The No. 3 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team has a chance to sweep this year’s titles, as the 2007 National Team Indoor Champions defeated No. 10 California, 4-2, in the NCAA Semifinals at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Sunday for the opportunity to vie for the outdoor title as well.
The Yellow Jackets (28-4) are in the finals for the first time in program history and will face No. 12 UCLA, which upset three-time defending national champion and top-seeded Stanford, in the finals Tuesday at 7 p.m. Both teams are trying for the program’s first national title.
California ends its season with a 23-7 record, falling in its sixth NCAA Semifinal match in as many tries.
Tech began the evening by winning the doubles point, continuing to prove how crucial the early lead is in this tournament. From there Amanda McDowell collected a quick straight-sets victory on court four over Stephanie Kusano to give the Yellow Jackets a 2-0 lead.
Cal’s Cristina Visico also won her match in straight sets, but the rest of the courts were three-set battles. In the end it was Christy Striplin who clinched the win for the Yellow Jackets. She defeated Cal’s Marion Ravelojaona 6-2 in her first set, but fell 6-1 in the second. Down 4-2 in the third, Striplin made a comeback and didn’t lose another game en route to claiming the third set 6-4 and the clinched the championship berth for her team.
Tennis Match Results
#3 Georgia Tech 4, #10 California 2
Singles competition
1. #4 Susie Babos (CAL) def. #6 Kristi Miller (GT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
2. #93 Alison Silverio (GT) vs. #12 Zsuzsanna Fodor (CAL) 6-7 (8-10), 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
3. #71 Amanda Craddock (GT) def. #22 Nina Henkel (CAL) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
4. #94 Amanda McDowell (GT) def. #89 Stephanie Kusano (CAL) 6-3, 6-0
5. #62 Christy Striplin (GT) def. Marion Ravelojaona (CAL) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
6. #97 Cristina Visico (CAL) def. #108 Tarryn Rudman (GT) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #3 Kristi Miller/Whitney McCray (GT) def. #5 Susie Babos/Zsuzsanna Fodor (CAL) 8-6
2. #26 Alison Silverio/Amanda Craddock (GT) def. Nina Henkel/Stephanie Kusano (CAL) 8-2
3. Tarryn Rudman/Kirsten Flower (GT) vs. Claire Ilcinaks/Bojana Bobusic (CAL) 7-3, unfinished
Match Notes:
California 23-7; National ranking #10
Georgia Tech 28-4; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,3,6,1,5)
