University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Advance to the Semifinals in San Francisco
September 24, 2022 | Women's Tennis
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. — Senior Lea Ma and sophomore Dasha Vidmanova picked up a pair of singles wins, while the sophomore tandem of Guillermina Grant and Vidmanova cruised to victory in doubles action, Friday at the Battle in the Bay Classic.
No. 2 seed Grant and Vidmanova picked up the lone doubles win for the Bulldogs Friday, cruising to an 8-2 win over Arizona's Midori Castillo and Kayla Wilkins. The win earned the pair a spot in the semifinals of the women's doubles draw. Despite a hard effort, No. 4 seed Meg Kowalski and Ma fell to San Diego's Kailey Evans and Elizabeth Goldsmith 8-6.
In singles play, No. 1 seed Ma picked up a pair of straight-set wins topping San Diego's Kailey Evans 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 16 and Oklahoma State's Kristina Novak 7-6(6), 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Ma is set to face the No. 3 seed Janice Tjen of Pepperdine in the semifinals.
No. 5 seed Vidmanova also notched a pair of wins, defeating Oklahoma State's Sofia Rojas 7-6(3), 6-4 in the round of 16 and upsetting No. 2 Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (Pepperdine) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. Vidmanova is set to take on the No. 4 seed Savannah Broadus (Pepperdine) in the semifinals.
"Today was an incredible day from everyone out here in San Francisco," said Georgia associate head coach Drake Bernstein. "Gigi and Dasha played clean doubles for the second day in a row and are complimenting each other well."
"Lea was locked in in her singles matches," said Bernstein. "She saved three set points in the first set in the quarterfinals and was down 3-1 in the second set before winning the last five games of the match. She's competing well and pushing herself in singles which is great to see."
"Dasha was nothing short of excellent today," said Bernstein. "We were at the courts for 14 hours today, she battled some cramping in her first singles and was still managing to play her best tennis deep in the third set of her quarterfinal match. Again, lots of credit goes to Katrin Koch for preparing the girls to get out here and have an edge late in matches."
"Both Meg and Gigi left it all out there in their singles matches as well, and I'm really happy with the way that they fought today," Bernstein said.
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
Singles Results
Round of 32
(1) Lea Ma def. McKenna Koenig (USC) 6-0, 6-3
Guillermina Grant def. Tomi Main (Pacific) 6-0, 6-1
(8) Meg Kowalski def. Silvia Maria Costache (Kansas) 6-1, 6-2
(5) Dasha Vidmanova def. Sedona Gallagher (ASU) 6-0, 6-3
Round of 16
(1) Lea Ma def. Kailey Evans (USD) 6-2, 6-4
(3) Janice Tjen (Pepperdine) def. Guillermina Grant 6-0, 6-4
Kayla Wilkins (Arizona) def. (8) Meg Kowalski 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
(5) Dasha Vidmanova def. Sofia Rojas (OSU) 7-6(3), 6-4
Quarterfinals
(1) Lea Ma def. (7) Kristina Novak (OSU) 7-6(6), 6-3
(5) Dasha Vidmanova def. (2) Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (Pepperdine) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
Doubles Results
Round of 16
(2) Guillermina Grant/Dasha Vidmanova def. Antonia Balzert/Aya El Sayed (Colorado) 8-3
(4) Meg Kowalski/Lea Ma def. Arianna Capogrosso (USF)/Klara Kosan (Pacific) 8-4
Quarterfinals
(2) Guillermina Grant/Dasha Vidmanova def. Midori Castillo/Kayla Wilkins (Arizona) 8-2
Kailey Evans/Elizabeth Goldsmith (USD) def. (4) Meg Kowalski/Lea Ma 8-6
Saturday Slate
Singles (Semifinals)
(1) Lea Ma vs. (3) Janice Tjen (Pepperdine)
(5) Dasha Vidmanova vs. (4) Savannah Broadus (Pepperdine)
Doubles (Semifinals)
(2) Guillermina Grant/Dasha Vidmanova vs. McKenna Koenig/Nathalie Rodilosso (USC)
