STILLWATER, Okla. — The Pepperdine women's tennis team's season came to a close with a 4-0 loss to 7-seed Georgia in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening.
After the Bulldogs took the doubles point with wins on courts two and three, Georgia won four first sets en route to the sweep. Playing in their final collegiate dual matches, Lisa Zaar and Nikki Redelijk were responsible for the Waves' first-set wins on courts two and four, respectively.
As the warm, summer evening waned and the Bulldogs maintained their leads on several courts, the Waves tried to eke their way back into the match, as Zaar went up a break over #41 Alexandra Vecic in the second set and Vivian Yang pushed her match on court six to a third set. On court one, Janice Tjen also tried forcing a third set with a comeback attempt of her own. Trailing 5-2 in the second set, Tjen won three games in a row — including a critical tenth game — against #16 Dasha Vidmanova to extend her match, albeit for a moment.
Yet the Waves' couldn't keep up their balancing act for much longer. Georgia tacked on back-to-back singles wins on courts one and three, then the Bulldogs clinched the match with Guillermina Grant's win on court five several minutes later. At the time Georgia clinched, the Bulldogs looked poised to turn the matches on two remaining courts, with Yang's match on six in between sets.
Pepperdine's season ends with a 21-7 record, an outright West Coast Conference title, and the program's second semifinal appearance in program history.
RESULTS
Singles
1. #16 Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) def. #39 Janice Tjen (PEPP) 6-2, 7-5
2. #15 Lisa Zaar (PEPP) vs. #41 Alexandra Vecic (UGA) 6-2, 5-6, unfinished
3. #65 Mell Reasco (UGA) def. #12 Savannah Broadus (PEPP) 7-6 (3), 6-3
4. #80 Nikki Redelijk (PEPP) vs. #70 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) 7-5, 1-3, unfinished
5. Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. #86 Anna Campana (PEPP) 7-5, 6-3
6. Vivian Yang (PEPP) vs. Mai Nirundorn (UGA), 5-7. 6-2, unfinished
Order of finish: 1,3,5*
Doubles
1. #2 Savannah Broadus/Janice Tjen (PEPP) vs. #14 Aysegul Mert/Dasha Vidmanova (UGA) 5-6 unfinished
2. #55 Guillermina Grant/Mai Nirundorn (UGA) def. Nikki Redelijk/Vivian Yang (PEPP) 6-4
3. Anastasiia Lopata/Mell Reasco (UGA) def. Anna Campana/Lisa Zaar (PEPP) 6-2
Order of finish: 3,2*
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