Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. -- The 71^st-ranked Samford University women's tennis team jumped out to an early 1-0 lead at the No. 10-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, but the home-court advantage proved to be too strong for UGA as the Bulldogs rallied in singles play for a 4-1 victory in the prestigious ITA Kick-Off Weekend being held at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility.
 
Earlier on Saturday, the 28th-ranked Auburn Tigers defeated the No. 62 Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 4-0, in the opening match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
 
On Sunday at 8 a.m. (CST), Samford will square off against Wake Forest in the consolation match of the four-team, ITA Kick-Off Weekend being held at the University of Georgia.
 
The ITA Kick-Off Weekend events were created in 2009 as qualifiers for the ITA Division I National Team Indoor Championships. Sixty schools compete for the remaining 15 spots in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, with a reserved spot for the host institution.
 
After ITA Kick-Off Weekend host sites were named, a draft was held with schools selecting which site to play at in order of year-end ITA Team Rankings.
 
Samford (0-1) stunned 10^th-ranked Georgia (1-1) in doubles play Saturday and garnered an early 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs.
 
En route to its doubles-point victory, Samford's No. 2 combination of Yasmeen Ebada and Jessica Northcutt cruised to a 6-2 triumph over Georgia's duo of Caroline Brinson and Hannah King.
 
Mere minutes later, the Bulldogs secured the doubles point with a thrilling 6-4 victory from Savannah Wood and Iva Parapunova over Georgia's tandem comprised of Mariana Gould and Laura Patterson on court No. 3. The point marked the first time in school history that Samford held a lead over a top-10 ranked opponent.
 
In singles play, Georgia bounced back with a vengeance and quickly earned a 3-1 lead in the match with consecutive straight-set victories on courts No. 3, No. 4 and No. 2.
 
The clinching win Saturday occurred in the No. 1 singles contest as No. 19 Lauren Herring held off Samford's Stephanie N'tcha, 7-5, 6-3, as Georgia claimed the 4-1 victory.
 
The matchups held on courts No. 5 and No. 6 were both unfinished at the conclusion of the match.
 
The Samford University women's tennis team will continue play in the 2015 ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Sunday against No. 62 Wake Forest at 8 a.m. (CST) in the consolation match of the four-team, two-day event being held at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility.
 
#10 Georgia def. #71 Samford, 4-1
 
Singles
1. #19 Lauren Herring (UGA) def. Stephanie N'tcha (SAM) 7-5, 6-3
2. Ellen Perez (UGA) def. Yasmeen Ebada (SAM) 6-2, 7-5
3. #83 Silvia Garcia (UGA) def. Jessica Northcutt (SAM) 6-0, 6-0
4. Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) def. Savannah Wood (SAM) 6-1, 6-1
5. #91 Hannah King (UGA) vs. Iva Parapunova (SAM) 4-2, unfinished
6. Caroline Brinson (UGA) vs. Carita Moolman (SAM) 6-1, unfinished

?Doubles
1. Lauren Herring/Ellen Perez (UGA) def. Stephanie N'tcha/Carita Moolman (SAM) 6-2
2. Yasmeen Ebada/Jessica Northcutt (SAM) def. Caroline Brinson/Hannah King (UGA) 6-2
3. Savannah Wood/Iva Parapunova (SAM) def. Mariana Gould/Laura Patterson (UGA) 6-4

Box Score