NCAA Women's Championships preview
Eight teams remain in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships, all eyeing the coveted national championship trophy.
The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs are hosting championship weekend at their state-of-the-art facility, Morill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia. As the No. 1 seed and the host of the event, Georgia seems like a clear favorite. But even in the top slot, the Bulldogs' path to victory is not a cake walk.
We're in for some quality tennis Friday through Sunday.
Quarterfinals:
No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 10 LSU
The first quarterfinal will take place at 10 a.m. between No. 2 Auburn and No. 10 LSU, two teams that have already met twice this season. Auburn won both meetings, but by a narrow margin, 4-2 in March and 4-3 in the SEC Championship final.
The teams boast similar lineups with five players ranked in the ITA top 125, and one player heading the charge in the top 15. Doubles play was the difference in both matches as Auburn rode the early lead to victory.
No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Pepperdine
The second quarterfinal is set for 1 p.m. between No. 3 Ohio State and No. 11 Pepperdine. The Waves upset No. 6 Oklahoma to earn its path to the national semifinals. They have seen a bit of a resurgence after their level dropped late in the season after peaking at No.2 in the country. But the win over Oklahoma completed Pepperdine's 10th win in-a-row, and the Waves look to take down Ohio State, who they beat earlier in the season 4-0.
That was one of the Buckeyes' few slip ups, with its other losses coming to Georgia 4-3 at the ITA Indoor Finals, Southern California 4-1 on the road and Michigan 4-2 in the Big Ten Championship. With two players in the top 5, including star Luciana Perry, the Buckeyes are certainly a top contender. The question is how they will fare against a team they have shown weakness to earlier in the season.
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 NC State
The third quarterfinal will take place at 4 p.m. between Georgia and No. 8 NC State. Georgia holds a clear advantage playing on its home stadium, which it will have no problem filling up. But the Bulldogs have shown to be less than a juggernaut with five losses on the season, falling 5-2 versus UNC-Chapel Hill, 4-2 versus Vanderbilt, 4-1 versus Texas, 4-1 versus Oklahoma and 4-1 versus LSU.
NC State is 2-2 versus common opponents with a win and a loss versus North Carolina, a win over Texas and a loss to LSU. But the Wolfpack certainly caught fire in the ACC Championships to take down the top 2 seeds in UNC and Virginia, and continued that flame with its win over Texas. Georgia's singles lineup is stacked with six players in the top 125, but a doubles win would certainly go a long way in helping the Pack get to the semifinals.
No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 5 North Carolina
The night cap will take place at 7 p.m. between two very evenly matched squads, No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 UNC. The Tar Heels survived a battle, 4-2, against No. 12 Michigan to get to the quarterfinals. It's safe to say the Heels are battle tested with wins against Georgia, Oklahoma and NC State. And with a leader in No. 2 ranked Reese Brantmeier, the reigning singles champ who is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, player in the sport, North Carolina is a tough out.
But so are the Aggies, who have three wins against top 10 opponents, including victories over Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas. Texas A&M boasts five players in the top 125, including No. 1 Lucciana Perez, versus Carolina who has four with the No. 2 ranked player. Court 1 is sure to be a spectacle. Just like most matches, a lot will rest on the doubles point.
Winners will move on to the semifinals, taking place on Saturday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The national championship will be held at 7 p.m.
