DURHAM, N.C. – No. 26 Georgia Tech earned a hard-fought victory at No. 21 Duke on Sunday afternoon, 4-1, behind the doubles point and three singles wins. The victory moved Tech to 8-6 overall and 4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Doubles
Collecting a pair of wins in doubles play, Georgia Tech carried a 1-0 lead into singles action. Wrapping up first, Alejandra Cruz and Given Roach maintained control in a 6-2 win over Karolina Berankova and Emma Jackson on court two to give the doubles edge to the Yellow Jackets. Tech clinched the doubles point from the No. 1 position where Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura collected a 6-3 win over Katie Codd and Shavit Kimchi. The Jackets extended a 4-3 lead into a 6-3 victory to clinch the early lead for Tech.
Singles
Playing to clinch in singles action, Georgia Tech won four first sets to set the pace. Lee pushed Tech’s lead to 2-0, pocketing a straight-set victory on court one over Jackson. After winning the first set, 6-2, Lee maintained momentum in the second set, 6-1, to cushion Tech’s lead. The Blue Devils got on the scoreboard with a win on court two, but Mahak Jain and Sharabura pulled out the next two matches to clinch the win for the Jackets.
On court five, Jain faced No. 110 Brianna Shvets and earned a straight-set victory. The conference foes worked to a 6-6 standstill in the opening set as Jain claimed the lead, winning the tiebreak, 7-4. Knotted at 2-all in the second set, Jain opened a 3-2 lead and pushed out her advantage to win the match, 7-6 (4), 6-3, to give Tech a 3-1 match lead.
Sharabura clinched the match from court six where she battled Berankova. It was a back-and-forth battle in the opening set as Sharabura and Berankova remained on serve at 4-4. The Jacket captured the next two games to claim the opener, 6-4, but Berankova forced a deciding third set, winning the second, 6-4. Sharabura regrouped and dominated the final set, 6-0, to clinch the win, 4-1.
Georgia Tech returns to action on Friday, March 22 at Florida State. First serve in Tallahassee, Fla., is slated for 5 p.m.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. No. 16 Carol Lee/Kate Sharabura (GT) def. Katie Codd/Shavit Kimchi (Duke) 6-3
2. Given Roach/Alejandra Cruz (UNC) def. Emma Jackson/Karolina Berankova (Duke) 6-2
3. Kylie Bilchev/Scarlett Nicholson (GT) vs. Brianna Shvets/Iuliia Bryzgalova (Duke) 4-3, DNF
Order of finish: 2,1*
*Clinched
Singles
1. No. 50 Carol Lee (GT) def. No. 93 Emma Jackson (Duke) 6-2, 6-1
2. No. 97 Shavit Kimchi (Duke) def. Alejandra Cruz…
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