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Senior Caitlin Whoriskey clinched the victory for the Lady Vols
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April 17, 2010
Box Score
By Donnie Conley, Media Relations Student Assistant
ATHENS, Ga.--The No. 14-ranked Tennessee Lady Vol tennis team (14-7, 8-3 SEC) captured the third seed for the SEC Tournament with an impressive 4-2 comeback victory over No. 13 Georgia on Saturday afternoon.
After falling behind 2-1, Tennessee stormed back to win three straight singles matches to clinch the victory.
With the team score tied at two, both Caitlin Whoriskey and Maria Sorbello were locked in tight third sets on courts one and two, respectively.
Sorbello outlasted 38th-ranked Nadja Gilchrist, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to give Tennessee a 3-2 advantage. Moments later, Whoriskey topped No. 12 Chelsey Gullickson, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, clinching UT's first win in Athens since 1996.
"We got beat up pretty good in doubles," UT co-head coach Mike Patrick said. "They took it to us. We could've folded up but we came out fighting in the singles.
"We kept working hard. Everybody kept positive and we outlasted them in the last two matches. This is a great win for our team and I'm just proud of everybody on our team fighting hard on every court."
The victory also marked the first time this season that the Lady Vols won a match after losing the doubles point. Previously, Tennessee was 0-4 when doing so.
Georgia began the day in impressive fashion, sweeping all three doubles matches. It marked the first time all spring that the Lady Vols have lost at the No. 1 doubles spot, as No. 11 Maria Sorbello and Caitlin Whoriskey fell, 8-1, to No. 8 Chelsey Gullickson and Nadja Gilchrist of UGA. The defeat snapped the Tennessee duo's 13-match winning streak.
The Bulldogs clinched the doubles point with an 8-5 win by Naoko Ueshima and Lara Fakhoury over Katie Lee and Kata Szekely.
In singles play, UGA started strong as senior Yvette Hyndman recorded a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Rosalía Alda, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
Jennifer Meredith responded with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles, putting UT on the board and cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Senior Zsófia Zubor evened the match with a gutsy, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 win over Naoko Ueshima at No. 4 singles. Sorbello and Whoriskey followed that with their victories, earning Tennessee's 14th win of the season.
The No. 6 singles match between Katie Lee and Lara Fakhoury was unfinished.
Tennessee returns to action Friday in the SEC Tournament against the winner of Thursday's matchup between No. 6 Vanderbilt and No. 11 Mississippi State.
Fans are reminded to follow the Lady Vols on Twitter at www.twitter.com/UTLadyVols.
#14 Tennessee 4, #13 Georgia 2 Doubles *Indicates clinching point
Singles
1. #11 Caitlin Whoriskey (TENN) def. #12 Chelsey Gullickson (UGA) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
2. #66 Maria Sorbello (TENN) def. #38 Nadja Gilchrist (UGA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
3. Yvette Hyndman (UGA) def. Rosalia Alda (TENN) 6-4, 6-1
4. Zsófia Zubor (TENN) def. Naoko Ueshima (UGA) 6-1, 1-6, 6-2
5. Jennifer Meredith (TENN) def. Cameron Ellis (UGA) 6-4, 6-1
6. Lara Fakhoury (UGA) vs. Katie Lee (TENN) 5-7, 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
Order of finish: (3,5,4,2,1*)
1. #8 Chelsey Gullickson/Nadja Gilchrist (UGA) def. #11 Caitlin Whoriskey/Maria Sorbello (TENN) 8-1
2. Yvette Hyndman/Cameron Ellis (UGA) def. #22 Rosalia Alda/Zsófia Zubor (TENN) 8-5
3. Naoko Ueshima/Lara Fakhoury (UGA) def. Kata Szekely/Katie Lee (TENN) 8-5
Order of finish: (1,3,2)
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