Wolverines Fall to Georgia Tech in NCAA First Round

Friday, May 10

Lexington, Ky.

10:00 AM

Michigan

Georgia Tech

5/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The University of Michigan women's tennis season came to an end Friday afternoon (May 10) with a 4-2 loss against No. 22-ranked Georgia Tech in NCAA Championship first-round action held at Kentucky's Hillary J. Boone Tennis Complex. The Wolverines (14-11) managed just two singles victories against the Yellow Jackets (15-9), who won the doubles point and claimed three singles victories in advancing to the second round.

Nolan

Michigan lost the doubles point for the just the seventh time this season as Georgia Tech won close matches at No. 1 and No. 2. The Wolverines started strong as sophomores Chrissie Nolan (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) and Kavitha Tipirneni (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby HS) won an 8-2 match against Laura Ozolins and Fallon Koon at No. 3. The Yellow Jackets pulled things even as Mysti Morris and Sekita Grant claimed an 8-5 victory at No. 2 against junior Jen Duprez (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach HS) and sophomore Kim Plaushines (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS). The team point came down to a close match at No. 1, with Jaime Wong and Mason Miller winning a 9-7 contest against freshmen Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School).

Michigan tried to rally in singles but was unable as Georgia Tech won straight-set matches at No. 1 and No. 6 and received the match-clinching victory as Morris beat DaCosta in three sets at No. 2 (6-2, 2-6, 6-2). Michigan's wins came from Nolan, who collected a 6-4, 6-4 win over Catherine Gunn at No. 3, and Rutherford, who posted a 6-2, 7-6(6) against Miller at No. 4.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- Jaime Wong (GT) d. Kavitha Tipirneni, 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 -- Mysti Morris (GT) d. Michelle DaCosta, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
No. 3 -- Chrissie Nolan (U-M) d. Catherine Gunn, 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 -- Leanne Rutherford (U-M) d. Mason Miller, 6-2, 7-6(6)
No. 5 -- Jen Duprez (U-M) vs. Laura Ozolins -- abandoned
No. 6 -- Sekita Grant (GT) d. Joanne Musgrove, 6-1, 6-0

Doubles
No. 1 -- Wong/Miller (GT) d. DaCosta/Rutherford, 9-7
No. 2 -- Morris/Grant (GT) d. Duprez/Kim Plaushines, 8-5
No. 3 -- Nolan/Tipirneni (U-M) Ozolins/Fallon Koon, 8-2

Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423