The Women’s Tennis Team headed to Ann Arbor, Mich. on Friday, Jan. 13, to take on the Michigan Wolverines, the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Washington Huskies for three days in the Michigan Invitational.
The ladies started off the tournament Saturday morning with a perfect 8-0 record in singles play against the No. 24 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. Seniors Jillian O’Neill and Caroline Lilly of Tech took down the players from Arkansas ranked in the first and second positions of the invitational lineup. O’Neill blew past her competition winning her match 6-3, 6-0 as Lilly also came up victorious against her competitor in the number two spot, winning 6-3, 6-2.
Senior Viet Ha Ngo was dominant against her opponent Stephanie Roy in the third spot, winning 6-3, 6-1, and Jackets’ junior Elizabeth Kilborn won her match in the number four spot in the invitational lineup.
Continuing into the first afternoon of the tournament, the ladies took on the Huskies from Washington in doubles play. The Jackets kept their winning streak going, taking the lead in three out of the four doubles matches they played for an overall win over the No. 27 ranked Huskies.
Leading into day two of the invitational, O’Neill started the day off strong with a win over the number 10 spot from Washington. However, O’Neill’s match was a tough three set match lasting two and a half hours that set the tone for the second day of play.
The Huskies were not going down without a fight, as four matches lasted a full three sets but the Lady Jackets came out on top again posting a perfect 8-0 sweep in singles play.
Heading into doubles play against the Michigan Wolverines the Tech duo of O’Neill and sophomore Alex Anghelescu beat their first opponents Emina Bektas and Brooke Bolender 8-5. The tandem of Bektas and Bolender were the No. 24 ranked team in the nation.
As O’Neill and Anghelescu played, the team of senior Lynn Blau and Kilborn took on Kristen Dodge and Sarah Lee of Michigan, winning their match 8-3.
On the third and final day of a solid start to their spring season the Jackets won all three of their doubles matches against Arkansas while winning three out of their six singles matches played against the Wolverines from Michigan.
The Women’s Tennis program ended the invitational with an impressive record losing only four matches in both singles and doubles play.
As a result of her tremendous play, senior Jillian O’Neill captured the title of the ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week.
The Lady Jackets will play their home opener on Saturday, Jan. 21 when they take on the No. 7 ranked rival Georgia Bulldogs at 1 p.m. in the Bill Moore Tennis Center. They will then close out the weekend against No. 68 ranked Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 22, at noon.