Georgia Tennis Sweeps Winthrop and FSU For Twelfth Straight Sweet Sixteen Trip

The Georgia tennis team cruised past Winthrop and FSU this weekend to earn a spot in the NCAA Tennis Sweet Sixteen.

More from Georgia Bulldogs News

• Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
• Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
• Georgia Football: The AFCA Coaches Poll ranks Dawgs #1
• Top 5 SEC Stadiums according to a Georgia fan
• Georgia Football: Heavy favorites in SEC Football Media Poll

Senior Nathan Pasha swept Georgia into the NCAA Tennis Tournament round of 16, winning three matches and going undefeated in the NCAA first and second round.

The seventh-ranked Bulldogs blanked both Winthrop and Florida State 4-0 this weekend, earning the eighth-seeded Bulldogs (23-4) a bout with the nine seed Texas Longhorns Thursday, May 14 at 10 a.m. ET in Waco, Texas.

“I thought we did a tremendous job at No. 2 and 3 doubles,” said head coach Manuel Diaz to Georgiadogs.com. “Those guys had not played together at No. 2 since January, and I think it was the first match together for Paul (Oosterbaan) and Eric (Diaz). I was happy with the chemistry for both of those teams, and I thought the number one team played well too. ”

Georgia won doubles matches on court two, Wayne Montgomery and Nathan Pasha defeating Steven Patrick and Tremayne Mitchell 8-2, and court three, Eric Diaz and Paul Oosterbaan clinching the point with an 8-3 victory over Michael Chen and Joshua Ryan at No. 3.

Freshman Peter Bertran contributed his first career clincher for Georgia. Pasha and Diaz then headed over to participate in UGA’s spring commencement at Sanford Stadium.

On Sunday against FSU, the Bulldogs won the doubles point for the 19th time this season to go ahead 1-0. On court three, Eric Diaz and Paul Oosterbaan beat Terrell Whitehurst and Terrance Whitehurst, 8-2, and the nation’s top-ranked pair of Austin Smith and Ben Wagland clinched the point with an 8-6 win over 16 ranked Benjamin Lock and Marco Nunez on court one. UGA is 18-1 this season when it wins the doubles point.

“We did a tremendous job at all three doubles and all six singles,” head coach Manuel Diaz told Georgiadogs.com. “I thought we played high-level tennis. We had great competition, and our guys rose to that level. It was probably as complete a match as we played all year, so I think we are ready going into the next round. Our guys worked hard for this, and I’m sure they’re not satisfied.”

More from Dawn of the Dawg

• Georgia Football: Top 5 Nick Chubb Moments at Georgia
• Georgia Football: Know the enemy UAB Blazers
• Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
• Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
• Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina

In singles, Smith extended Georgia’s lead to 2-0 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Michael Rinaldi at on court two, making the Dawgs unbeaten on court two in 19 consecutive matches.

Nathan Pasha, playing in his final home match, made it 3-0 with a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Nunez, then Wayne Montgomery clinched the victory with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Lock at No. 1.

Georgia is now 100-32 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, and this marks the Bulldogs’ 12th straight trip to the round of 16.

Next: Will the Dorm Craze Come to Bulldog Basketball?

Match Notes

#7 Georgia 4, Winthrop 0

Singles competition
1. #24 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) vs. MITCHELL, Tremayne (WUM) 7-5, 4-0, unfinished
2. #30 Austin Smith (UGA) vs. COMERFORD, Dylan (WUM) 6-4, 3-3, unfinished
3. #31 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. PATRICK, Steven (WUM) 6-1, 6-0
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) vs. NAGOVNAK, Peter (WUM) 6-4, 2-4, unfinished
5. Nick Wood (UGA) def. FRANZANTI, Ruben (WUM) 6-3, 6-1
6. Peter Bertran (UGA) def. CHEN, Michael (WUM) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. #1 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) vs. COMERFORD, Dylan/NAGOVNAK, Peter (WUM) 5-4, unfinished
2. Wayne Montgomery/Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. PATRICK, Steven/MITCHELL, Tremayne (WUM) 8-2
3. Eric Diaz/Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) def. CHEN, Michael/RYAN, Joshua (WUM) 8-3

Winthrop 15-9
Georgia 22-4; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (3,5,6)
Official: Richard Rodgers A-231
Total Time – 2:05; Doubles – 43 minutes

#7 Georgia 4, #27 Florida State 0

Singles competition
1. #24 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. #46 Benjamin Lock (FSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. #30 Austin Smith (UGA) def. #101 Michael Rinaldi (FSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. #31 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. Marco Nunez (FSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) vs. C. Gonzalez Mendez (FSU) 6-7 (5-7), 4-2, unfinished
5. Nick Wood (UGA) vs. Jose Gracia (FSU) 6-3, 6-6 (7-7), unfinished
6. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) vs. Terrance Whitehurst (FSU) 6-4, 6-5, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #1 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) def. #16 Benjamin Lock/Marco Nunez (FSU) 8-6
2. Wayne Montgomery/Nathan Pasha (UGA) vs. C. Gonzalez Mendez/Jose Gracia (FSU) 7-6, unfinished
3. Eric Diaz/Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) def. Terrell Whitehurst/Terrance Whitehurst (FSU) 8-2

Florida State 20-11; National ranking #27
Georgia 23-4; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,3,1)
NCAA Second Round Match
Official: Richard Rodgers Total Time-2:48; Doubles 50 minutes; A-900