Elon Women’s Tennis Set for NCAA Tournament Debut vs. Georgia

ELON, N.C. – For the first time in program history, the Elon University women’s tennis team is in the NCAA Tournament with its first matchup coming against the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, the Georgia Bulldogs, on Friday, May 9, in Athens, Ga. at 4 p.m.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament,” said Elon head coach Elizabeth Anderson. “Georgia is a great team and we’re excited to have another chance to play them with the honor of representing the Southern Conference in the tournament.”

Earlier this season, Elon traveled to Athens, Ga. for the ITA Kickoff Weekend Tournament and fell to the Bulldogs 4-0 on January 24. It marks the only time Elon and Georgia have played each other.

Elon enters the tournament as the representative of the Southern Conference after winning the 2014 SoCon Tournament by knocking off second-seeded Samford in the finals, 4-2. No. 4 Elon also upset top-seeded Furman in the semifinals to advance to finals. The Phoenix fell to both Samford and Furman during the regular season, but took advantage in its second chance against both teams.

This season, Elon went 15-8 through an up and down season. The Phoenix won eight-straight matches from February 8 to March 15 after starting the season 0-4 with losses to No. 54 Virginia Tech, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Georgia and No. 55 Kansas State.

After the eight-match winning streak, Elon struggled to a 4-4 record in its final eight matches before winning three straight matches in the SoCon Tournament to earn the automatic bid.

In conference postseason awards announced prior to the SoCon Tournament, Jordan Johnston was named to the first-team all-SoCon for the third straight season while Frida Jansaker and Bryn Khoury were named to the second-team all-conference at the No. 2 and 4 singles positions, respectively. Johnston and Barbora Lazarova were also named to the second-team all-conference doubles squad at the No. 1 position.

Georgia, the champions of the SEC Tournament after beating top-seeded Alabama in the tournament finals, went 21-4 this year on the way to the No. 1 seed in its 28th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have only lost two matches since February 9—a 4-2 loss to Vanderbilt, the regular season runner-up in the SEC, and a 4-3 loss to Alabama, the SEC regular season champion. Georgia’s other two losses came against California and North Carolina on back-to-back days in early February in the National Team Indoor Tournament in Charlottesville, Va.

Should Elon top Georgia, they would take on the winner of Arizona and Florida State. The Wildcats and Seminoles face each other at 1 p.m. in Athens before Elon takes on Georgia.