Four jackets advance at ITA Southeast Regionals Tennis Georgia Tech women's yellow jackets

THE PLAINS Georgia Tech women's tennis posted four singles wins on the opening day of the ITA Southeast Regionals main draw on Friday. With all three doubles teams earning byes in the first round, the Yellow Jackets played eight singles matches in the round of 64 at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.

Alejandra Cruz was the first to score a win for Tech, controlling South Florida's Melisa Senli in straight sets in the morning. After back-to-back breaks started the first set, Cruz held a 2-1 lead and increased her lead to 5-1. The junior sealed the first set 6-2. Senli fought early in the second set, but Cruz overpowered her opponent and won the match 6-2, 6-2.

Kate Sharabura earned the second victory for Georgia Tech as the senior recorded a straight-set victory over Georgia State's Sara Radojevic. The opponents battled in the first set and were tied at 5-5 before Sharabura won the next two games to take the opener 7-5. Sharabura led 4-2 in the second set, but Radojevic did not take it lightly and traded the next three games for a 5-4 in Jacket's favor. Sharabura sealed the victory, 7-5, 6-4.

Continuing her impressive start to her freshman season, Taly light shook off a slow start against Sara Sarinova (FAU). After dropping the first set 0-6, Licht jumped out with a 3-0 lead to start the second set. The Jacket increased its lead to 4-1, but Sarinova fought back to level the set at 4-all. Licht rallied and tied the match with a 6-4 second set victory, forcing a decisive third set. Leading at 4 apiece in the final set, Licht broke Sarinova's serve to go up 5-4, but could not serve out the match and moved to 5-5. Licht broke through to win the next two games, winning the match 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Rounding out the wins for the Yellow Jackets was Scarlett Nicholson who made quick work of Nicole Alfaro of North Florida. Nicholson didn't drop a game in the first set, cruising to a 6-0 opener and racing out to a 4-1 lead in the second set. The Jacket won the match 6-0, 6-3 and advanced to the round of 32.

Four Jackets will move on to the consolation bracket after Friday. Meera Jesudason had a battle in the opening round, taking on No. 31 Oyinlomo Quadre of FIU. Quadre took a 5-1 lead in the first set before Jesudason pulled away to win the next two games. But Quadre closed the set 6-3 and took the second 6-3. Kylie Bilchev also appeared in court for the first time this weekend, opposite Georgia's Hayden Mulberry. Bilchev challenged the Bulldog in the first set when the pair remained stagnant at 5-all, but Mulberry pulled the first set back 7-5. Mulberry continued the momentum in the second set, winning the match 7-5, 6-2.

Ginger Foster made her second tournament appearance on Friday, losing to Terezia Barianokova (KSU) 6-0, 6-3, while Seen Roach faced Alicia Dudeney from Florida. Roach and Dudeney traded the first two sets before Roach jumped out with a 5-0 lead in the final set. But Dudeney fought back and forced a tiebreak at 6-all. The Gator got the breaker, 7-3, to win the match, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3).

Play continues Saturday with the doubles round of 32 and the singles rounds of 32 and 16. The action starts at 9 a.m.

RESULTS
Round of 64
Not. 31 Square mouth (FIU) final Meera Jesudason (GT) 6-3, 6-3
Alejandra Cruz (GT) final Melisa Senli (USF) 6-2, 6-2
No. 117 Kate Sharabura (GT) Doing. Sara Radojevic (GSU) 7-5, 6-4
Taly Light (GT) Certainly. Sara Sarinova (FAU) 0-6, 6-4, 7-5
Hayden Mulberry (UGA) def. No. 51 Kylie Bilchev (GT) 7-5, 6-2
No. 103 Alicia Dudeney (UF) def. Given Roach (GT) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3)
Scarlett Nicholson (GT) Certainly. Nicole Alfaro (UNF) 6-0, 6-3
Terezia Barianokova (KSU) def. Ginger Foster (GT) 6-0, 6-3

Full speed ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech's athletics goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including the renovation of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and OKeefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program-wide operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit opfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, and to learn more about opportunities to contribute online.

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