GREENVILLE, S.C. -- With the match tied at 3-all, Georgia Tech's Nadia Gizdova topped senior Danni Vines, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, at flight six singles to lead the Yellow Jackets past Furman, 4-3, Saturday in the Paladins' home opener at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C.

Georgia Tech won two out of three doubles matches to take point one.  Furman senior Katarina Kozarov and junior MaryAnn Rompf defeated Rosie Garcia Gross and Gia Cohen, 6-2, at flight two, but Nami Otsuka and Monika Dedaj posted a 6-3 victory over junior Georgie Walker and Vines at flight three to even the slate.  In the decisive flight one contest, Kenya Jones and Victoria Flores, who rank 51st nationally, beat 23rd-ranked sophomores Madison Dillon and Julia Adams, 6-4, for the point.

Cohen, who ranks 73rd nationally in singles, recorded a 6-2, 6-2 advantage over Rompf at flight three to push the score to 2-0, but the Paladins rallied back as Adams scored a 6-2, 6-2 win of her own at flight two over Flores.  Georgia Tech pushed the lead to 3-1 after Otsuka defeated Dillon, 6-4, 6-3, at number four, then Furman scored the next two points to tie the score at 3-3 and force the decisive number six contest.  Thirteenth-ranked Kozarov beat Jones, a two-time All-American who ranks 53rd nationally, 6-2, 6-4, in the top-seeded match up, and Walker held off Garcia Gross, 6-1, 7-6(7) at number five.

"This was an amazing college tennis match," said Furman head coach Adam Herendeen.  "It stings to lose this one, but I could not be more proud of every single one of our girls.  We battled and left it all out there and just came up a bit short against a very good Georgia Tech team.  Matches like this are going to make us stronger, and I love what I see from this team!"

Furman (0-2) will square off against Davidson and USC Upstate Monday.  First serve versus the Wildcats is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Mickel Tennis Center.  The match versus the Spartans will follow at 3 p.m.

Georgia Tech vs Furman

01/18/20 at Greenville, S.C.

(Mickel Tennis Center)

Georgia Tech 4, Furman 3

Singles competition

1. #13 Katarina Kozarov (FUR) def. #53 Kenya Jones (GT) 6-2, 6-4

2. Julia Adams (FUR) def. Victoria Flores (GT) 6-2, 6-2

3. #73 Gia Cohen (GT) def. MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) 6-2, 6-2

4. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Madison Dillon (FUR) 6-4, 6-3

5. Georgie Walker (FUR) def. Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) 6-1, 7-6(7)

6. Nadia Gizdova (GT) def. Danni Vines (FUR) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. #51 Kenya Jones/Victoria Flores (GT) def. #23 Madison Dillon/Julia Adams (FUR) 6-4

2. Katarina Kozarov/MaryAnn Rompf (FUR) def. Rosie Garcia Gross/Gia Cohen (GT) 6-2

3. Nami Otsuka/Monika Dedaj (GT) def. Georgie Walker/Danni Vines (FUR) 6-3

Match Notes:

Georgia Tech 1-0

Furman 0-2

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,2,4,1,5,6)