Women’s Tennis Falls At #2 Georgia Tech, 6-1

Feb. 27, 2008

ATLANTA, GA – The 24th-ranked Clemson women’s tennis team took a 1-0 lead into singles play for the ninth time this season but the strength of #2 Georgia Tech’s singles players carried the Yellow Jackets to a 6-1 victory on Wednesday afternoon on their home court.

The match, held indoors, took nearly seven hours to complete, as nearly every flight was a battle between the teams.

After Georgia Tech’s tandem of Whitney McCray and Sasha Krupina defeated Estefania Balda and Federica van Adrichem at the number two doubles slot (8-5), the Tigers eked out wins at flights one and three in tie breaks. Ina Hadziselimovic and Alexandra Luc won over Christy Striplin and Noelle Hickey at the third position, while Ani Mijacika and Carol Salge extended their win streak to four straight. The win was also the Clemson duo’s fourth over a ranked opponent as Kirstin Flower and Kristi Miller were ranked 16th in the most recent Fila/ITA Tennis poll.

In singles play, Balda fell in straight sets at flight two to fourth-ranked Amanda McDowell (6-2, 6-0), while #21 McCray gave the Yellow Jackets a 2-0 lead with a victory at number three. Van Adrichem had won the first set, 6-0, before McCray rebounded for a 6-2 victory in the second and a 6-3 win in the third.

Hadziselimovic then fell to 30th-ranked Flower at flight four, 6-2, 7-6, while Luc suffered the loss at the fifth position to #84 Striplin (6-2, 6-0).

In a match-up of two of the nation’s elite players, Georgia Tech’s Miller, a former #1 who is currently ranked #6, edged now #1 Mijacika at the top spot. Miller won the first set, 6-4, while Mijacika claimed the second, 7-6. The deciding third set also came down to a tie-break, and Miller prevailed.

The final singles contest of the day started nearly two hours following the conclusion of the doubles matches with Salge and 19th-ranked Maja Johansson battling at flight six.

Clemson will have a nine-day layoff before continuing conference action, as the Tigers will travel to Miami on Mar. 9.

#2 Georgia Tech 6, #24 Clemson 1 Doubles 1. Mijacika/Salge (CU) def. #16 Flower/Miller (GT), 9-8 2. McCray/Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Balda/Van Adrichem (CU), 8-5 3. Hadziselimovic/Luc (CU) def. Noelle Hickey/Striplin (CU), 9-8 Order of Finish – 2, 3, 1

Singles 1. #6 Kristi Miller (GT) def. #1 Ani Mijacika (CU), 6-4, 7-6(), 6-7 2. #4 Amanda McDowell (GT) def. Estefania Balda (CU), 6-2, 6-0 3. #21 Whitney McCray (GT) def. #82 Federica van Adrichem (CU), 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 4. #30 Kirsten Flower (GT) def. Ina Hadziselimovic (CU), 6-2, 7-6 5. #84 Christy Striplin (GT) def. Alexandra Luc (CU), 6-2, 6-0 6. #19 Maya Johansson (GT) def. Carol Salge (CU), 7-5, 6-3 Order of Finish – 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 6 Records: Georgia Tech, 8-2; Clemson, 4-7