We in Bulldog Nation sometimes forget, but the University of Georgia fields teams of student-athletes in intercollegiate competition in more sports than just football. (Granted, we occasionally wish we could forget football, too.) Briefly, before Saturday’s SEC opener between the hedges, let us pause to note some of the week’s events in those other athletic endeavors:
Following the first round of play at the Carpet Capital Collegiate at Rocky Face, Ga., on Friday, the 15th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team was one over par. The team’s cumulative stroke total of 289 left the Red and Black male linksters in fourth place, three shots behind in-state rival Georgia Tech.
Former Georgia great John Isner reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his professional tennis career by defeating Frenchman Gilles Simon, 7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4), in the U.S. Open on Thursday. Unfortunately, the 28th-ranked Isner committed 54 unforced errors as he fell to No. 4 Andy Murray, 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, in the ensuing round of the Open on Friday.
Outside hitter Brittany Northcutt registered 13 kills in Georgia’s 3-0 home win over Kennesaw State on Tuesday. The Red and Black took the match in straight sets, 25-12, 25-18, 25-17, before falling in the same manner to Georgia Tech on Friday night. The Bulldogs committed seven errors in each of the three sets, falling 25-23, 25-19, 25-22.
Georgia welcomed Mercer to Athens on Friday evening and promptly took an early lead on an Alexa Newfield goal. Three minutes later, the Bears’ Emerald Phillips tied the score, and the two remained deadlocked at the break in spite of a 10-6 shot advantage in favor of the visitors.
The Red and Black held an even more commanding 15-5 shot advantage in the second half, thanks primarily to Newfield’s four shots on goal, but Mercer’s Cagney Valloch carded six saves in the period to preserve the tie and send the contest to overtime. There Newfield drove home the game-winner in the 100th minute to give Georgia a 2-1 victory in a match in which the home team held a 24-16 shot advantage.
Consider that your Saturday summary, one day early. How’s that for promptness? We now return you to your regularly-scheduled football season, which is already in progress.
Go ‘Dawgs!