No. 4 Nighthawks Open 2025 NCAA Southeast Regional With 4-0 Victory
CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 4 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's tennis team opened the 2025 NCAA Southeast Regional with a 4-0 win over No. 29 Georgia College at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility in Clemson, S.C.
The second-seeded Nighthawks have now advanced to the Round of 32 in eight straight postseasons. With the victory over the seventh-seeded Bobcats, UNG will face third-seeded and No. 9 Columbus State (CSU) with a chance to punch its ticket to the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship for the second consecutive season.
Monday's win occurred on the campus of Clemson University at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility after the team at Clemson graciously offered the use of their facility to avoid inclement weather in the Dahlonega area.
The Nighthawks opened Monday's match with a doubles victory to take an early 1-0 lead.
Junior Emily Bush and freshman Linn Goerdes dominated the #2 doubles match for a 6-1 victory, opening the door for senior Ashley Moinard and freshman Vasilissa Kupriyanova to clinch the doubles with their own 6-1 win.
Onto singles the match went and it did not take long for UNG to secure another point.
Kupriyanova rolled past her opponent for a 6-1, 6-1 triumph and the 11th singles victory of her freshman season.
Then, senior and Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) women's singles No. 2 Angelina Linnikova made more program history in the #1 singles match.
Linnikova raced past Chiara Santoro in 6-2, 6-1 win, marking her 22nd singles victory this year. The Irkutsk, Russia native is now 22-0 this season, tying the record for the most singles victories in one year which she tied last season with a 22-4 individual record.
Linnikova has now won 60 singles matches in the last three years at UNG. Earlier this season she surpassed the program's all-time singles wins record. She holds a staggering 60-6 record in singles matches in a Nighthawk uniform.
After the victory in #1 singles, UNG was ahead 3-0 in the match and one win away from advancing to the next round.
Senior Carolina Reis pushed the Nighthawks through to the Round of 32 with her eighth singles win of the season in a 6-2, 6-2 fashion over Natalie Kirka.
Reis and UNG will now gear up to face Peach Belt Conference rival CSU in the Round of 32 on Tuesday, May 13 at 11 a.m. The Nighthawks are 2-0 against the Cougars this year with a pair of thrilling 4-3 victories already.
Latest Top Stories Feed
- Norsworthy Elevated to UNG Director of Tennis; Miles Promoted to Head Men’s CoachDAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) has announced dual staffing promotions within the men's and women's tennis programs in a groundbreaking move focused on continuing UNG's elevation in the collegiate tennis landscape. Kent Norsworthy has been promoted to the Director of Tennis and will continue as the head coach of the women's tennis program while Justin Miles has been promoted to the head men's tennis coach.
- North Georgia Posts Best-Ever Learfield Cup FinishCLEVELAND – The University of North Georgia (UNG) athletic department cemented one of the most outstanding competitive years in its NCAA athletic history this season with a 22nd-place finish in the 2024-25 Learfield Directors' Cup, the best finish in school history.
- Six UNG Baseball Players Named To 2025 PBC Team of Academic DistinctionDAHLONEGA – The Peach Belt Conference announced its baseball Team of Academic Distinction for the 2024-25 academic year Friday. The University of North Georgia had six student-athletes named to the team.
- Seven Nighthawk Softball Players Named To 2025 PBC Team of Academic DistinctionDAHLONEGA – The Peach Belt Conference announced its softball Team of Academic Distinction for the 2024-25 academic year Friday. The University of North Georgia had seven student-athletes named to the team.
- Ware Named 2025 WGCA All-AmericanDAHLONEGA – University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf senior Jadin Ware has been named a Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) 2025 All-American Honorable Mention pre the association's announcement Friday.
- Three Runners Named To 2025 PBC Team of Academic DistinctionDAHLONEGA – The Peach Belt Conference announced its women's track & field Team of Academic Distinction for the 2024-25 academic year Thursday. The University of North Georgia had three student-athletes named to the team.