University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
National Team indoors
Bulldogs Beat Duke 4-1
February 10, 2017 | Women's Tennis
NEW HAVEN, CONN.-----Sixth-ranked Georgia posted a 4-1 win over No. 10 Duke Friday to advance to the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoors on the Yale campus.
The Bulldogs (4-0) trailed 1-0 after doubles and then roared back in singles to claim the victory. Up next, Georgia faces third-ranked Pepperdine Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The Waves registered a 4-2 win over No. 15 Texas A&M in their round of 16 match.
Junior Ellen Perez, junior Mariana Gould, senior Caroline Brinson and freshman Elena Christofi provided the four singles wins for the Bulldogs. Perez evened the match with a 6-2,6-2 win over Samantha Harris in the No. 1 contest. Then, Gould made it 2-1 with a 6-1,6-3 decision over Rebecca Smaller in the No. 6 singles spot. Brinson erased early deficits in both sets against Kaitlyn McCarthy to collect Georgia's third point, winning 7-5,6-4 in the No. 4 match. Christofi provided the clinching victory as she outlasted freshman Meible Chi in the No. 2 contest, 4-6,6-1,6-4.
"It was quite a doubles point, and it's always going to be close when you play six-game no-ad set, and we knew we had to be ready to go in singles down 1-0," said Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace. "Ellen and Mariana got us right back in it with two quick wins. CB (Caroline Brinson) got down 4-1 in both of her sets and fought back to win the match and then Elena clinched it."
With her latest win, Christofi improved her record to a team-best 16-3 in singles this season. Brinson ranks second on the club at 14-4 while Gould is 8-5 and Perez 2-0. Georgia is 14-12 all-time against Duke. With the team match decided, the singles matches of Kennedy Shaffer and Marta Gonzalez were halted in the third sets.
In doubles, Gould and Gonzalez won at the No. 3 spot 6-4, but Duke earned the first team point by taking the matches at No. 1 and 2. Alyssa Smith and Chalena Scholl beat Brinson and Kennedy Shaffer 6-3 at No. 2. The No. 1 match came down to a tiebreaker as Chi and McCarthy edged Perez and Christofi 7-6(2). The Gould/Gonzalez team is 8-1 this season.
Players Mentioned
