University of Georgia
Michigan
Bulldogs Move Past Michigan to Indoor Semis
February 06, 2016 | Women's Tennis
Madison, Wisc. -- Sophomore Kennedy Shaffer (ranked 109) won her fifth singles match in as many opportunities this year, upsetting No. 107 Kate Fahey to clinch second-ranked Georgia's (5-0) 4-1 win over No. 12 Michigan (3-2) on Saturday afternoon at the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.
Shaffer's win in singles came after she and Laura Patterson won the first doubles match of the day, besting Kara Hall and Alex Najarian 6-2 on the third court. Georgia's win moves the Bulldogs to the semifinals of the indoor championship for the second consecutive year. Additionally, the victory made Georgia the only team in the country to qualify for the semifinals of last year's indoor championships and NCAA tournament as well as this year's indoors.
"It was a solid day for our team from top to bottom," said Georgia associate head coach Drake Bernstein. "It's fun to see our great practices paying dividends now on the match court. We are looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow and competing the Georgia Way."
After Shaffer and Patterson started the day with a quick 6-2 win in doubles, the second doubles pair of Caroline Brinson and Silvia Garcia clinched the doubles point for the Bulldogs with a 6-3 win.
Michigan battled to tie the score in singles, as 19th-ranked Brienne Minor topped No. 22 Brinson by a 6-3, 6-1 tally. The Bulldogs rallied, sparked by Garcia's 6-2, 6-3 win on the fourth court. Mariana Gould followed suit with a 6-4, 6-4 victory on the fifth court, her third win in four matches.
Shaffer then finished off the match with the upset victory.
Kennedy Shaffer wins deciding point on return to clinch the match for @UGAWomensTennis. Into the #ITAIndoors semis pic.twitter.com/a0JFsN40mZ
-- Jonathan Kelley (@jokelley_tennis) February 6, 2016
The Bulldogs will face No. 5 North Carolina on Sunday for a spot in the championship match. For all the latest on Georgia women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter (@UGAWomensTennis), Instagram (@ugawomenstennis) and Facebook (Georgia Women's Tennis), and keep checking in to georgiadogs.com.
Match Results
No. 2 Georgia 4, No. 12 Michigan 1
Singles
#12 Ellen Perez (UGA) vs. #17 Ronit Yurovsky (UM) 6-2, 4-6, 1-1, unfinished
#19 Brienne Minor (UM) def. #22 Caroline Brinson (UGA) 6-3, 6-1
#109 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. #107 Kate Fahey (UM) 6-2, 6-4
#82 Silvia Garcia (UGA) def. Mira Ruder-Hook (UM) 6-2, 6-3
Mariana Gould (UGA) def. Alex Najarian (UM) 6-4, 6-4
Laura Patterson (UGA) vs. Teona Velehorschi (UM) 7-5, 2-2, unfinished
Doubles
#14 Ellen Perez/Mariana Gould (UGA) vs. Mira Ruder-Hook/Brienne Minor (UM), 5-4, unfinished
Silvia Garcia/Caroline Brinson (UGA) def. Ronit Yurovsky/Kate Fahey (UM), 6-3
Kennedy Shaffer/Laura Patterson (UGA) def. Kara Hall/Alex Najarian (UM), 6-2
Order of Finish
Doubles: (3, 2) Singles: (2,4,5,3)
Players Mentioned
