Ma Claims the ITA Southeast Regional Title
October 17, 2022 | Women's Tennis
ATLANTA, Ga. — University of Georgia women's tennis senior Lea Ma defeated Georgia Tech's Carol Lee 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 on Monday morning to win the ITA Southeast Regional Championship. In total, the Bulldogs recorded 19 wins over the weekend — 18 singles and one doubles.
"I'm very happy for Lea to bring home the winner's trophy today," said Georgia associate head coach Drake Bernstein. "She made the final a few years ago, so I know she's excited to add Southeastern Regional Champion to her already impressive tennis resume. She did an excellent job regrouping at the start of the third set today. She got a lead and never pulled her foot off the gas."
The road to the championship for Ma, who was seeded third, included straight-set wins over North Florida's Megan Forster, UCF's Jaleesa Leslie, and the No. 13 seed Rachel Gailis (Florida). Her 5-0 run in the event also featured wins over fellow teammate and the 10th ranked freshman/newcomer in Anastasiia Lopata and the No. 1 seed Lee (ITA 16).
Ma won the opening set of the championship match handily, 6-3. After losing momentum in the second set, the senior from Dix Hills, New York won six consecutive games to claim the title in the third set. The win earned Ma a berth in the ITA National Fall Championship that will take place later this fall (Nov. 2-6) in San Diego, California.
"It means a lot to me to win the Southeast Regional," said Ma. "There are a lot of good players in our region. Being able to compete, back-to-back, over a span of days is tough but it's a step in the right direction of where I'm trying to go. I'm looking forward to competing at the fall nationals and what's to come!"
Dating back to 2009, Ma is the seventh Bulldog to win the Southeast Regional singles title and the second-straight Georgia player to do so – Mell Reasco won in 2021.
The Bulldogs will send players to the ITF Fort Worth 25K (Oct. 17-24) and the ITF Macon 80K (Oct. 17-24) before returning to action at the Jacksonville Classic on Oct. 28-30, hosted by North Florida.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs by following UGA Women's Tennis on Twitter @UGAWomensTennis, on Instagram @UGAWomensTennis, and on Facebook @GeorgiaWomensTennis or check out information online at GeorgiaDogs.com
Doubles Results
Round of 32
Anastasiia Lopata/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Cade Cricchio/Olympe Lancelot (FSU) 8-2
Isabel Oliveira/Kit Gulihur (UNF) def. Guillermina Grant/Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) 8-7 (5)
Round of 16
Mia Mack/Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) def. Anastasiia Lopata/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) 8-6
Singles Results
Round of 64
Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Noa Cohen (Stetson) 6-2, 6-3
Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. Genesis Whitelock (FAMU) 6-1, 6-0
Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. Maya Tahan (UM) 6-3, 7-6 (2)
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Megan Forster (UNF) 6-2, 6-4
Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Silvia Martinez (Ga. Southern) 6-2, 6-3
Round of 32
Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Kamila Umarova (FIU) 6-3, 6-1
Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. Ruth Marsh (GT) 6-0, 6-1
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 6-2, 6-4
Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Emma Bardet (FGCU) 7-5, 6-2
Mahak Jain (GT) def. Guillermina Grant (UGA) 7-6 (8), 6-1
Round of 16
Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. Carly Briggs (UF) 6-2, 6-4
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Rachel Gailis (UF) 6-1, 6-3
Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Kylie Bilchev (GT) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Carol Lee (GT) def. Mai Nirundorn (UGA) 6-1, 6-2
Quarterfinals
Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. Audrey Boch-Collins (UM) 6-2, 6-2
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Mahak Jain (GT) 6-1, 6-1
Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. Alexa Noel 7-6(6), 6-2
Semifinals
Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. Carol Lee (GT) 7-5, 6-2
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Finals
Lea Ma (UGA) def. Carol Lee (GT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-0
Players Mentioned
