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Cavs travel south to conclude regular season

No. 18 Cavaliers battle No. 15 Georgia Tech, Clemson; look to lock down first-round bye in upcoming conference tournament

The No. 18 Virginia women's tennis team closes its regular season against Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend, seeking a first-round bye at the upcoming ACC Tournament.

"I think finishing the ACC season strong is vital, and we really want to show everyone what we have," freshman Caryssa Peretz said.

The Cavaliers (16-6), who currently are riding a two-game win streak, sit in fourth place behind Duke, North Carolina and Miami in the conference standings with a 5-4 record in ACC play.

Clemson and Florida State also sport 5-4 ACC records, and should the No. 11 Tigers (17-8) down the Cavaliers Saturday, the Clemson squad will claim sole possession of fourth place. Only the top four teams in the conference receive a coveted bye during the opening round of the ACC Tournament, which is slated to begin April 21 in Cary, N.C.

"Not to make this part of the season sound more important than any other stage, but you reach a point where the results start to have more of a specific input into what you're going to do," coach Mark Guilbeau said. "It's all about momentum. It's about playing your best so that you're bringing in a good level to the next match."

The Cavaliers' path to a No. 4 seed will not be easy, as both Clemson's and Georgia Tech's rosters are rife from top to bottom with highly-regarded singles players and doubles pairs. Clemson boasts four nationally ranked singles players - including No. 10 junior Josipa Bek - and the nation's top-ranked doubles team. Bek and junior Keri Wong form the dynamic duo, which has lost only one match during ACC play and just seven matches on the season.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech's lineup includes two top-100 players, and the team collectively owns a No. 12 national ranking.

"Some coaches don't want their players looking at [rankings], but I think that they should be very aware of, not so much the numbers, but the level [of talent]," Guilbeau said.

Guilbeau also said his players should not be preoccupied with their own rankings, but instead focus on the minor aspects of their games that will allow them to have success. Should the Cavaliers follow their coach's instructions and subsequently win both matchups, the squad will tie a Virginia all-time record for wins during a single season. The current record of 18 triumphs was set in 1993.\nBut to match the all-time win total, the Cavaliers will need to continue their dominant play at home on the road, a task the squad has struggled with since beginning ACC play. Virginia has dropped three consecutive conference road matches including a 4-3 setback against Maryland March 20 and a 4-3 heartbreaker against No. 3 North Carolina two weeks ago.

"I think it's tough without our fans there always driving us to comeback or finish the match strong," Peretz said. "Obviously, we had a really rough match against Maryland a little while ago and ever since then, we've really wanted to stay focused and get it done."

Although the Cavaliers likely will rely on junior Lindsey Hardenbergh and sophomore Erin Vierra to secure a road victory, Guilbeau said he hopes to see a complete team effort during the team's final two regular season matches to best prepare the squad for postseason play.

"We've been talking about the reality of how important the team is, including the players that aren't playing," Guilbeau said. "I give all the credit to the kids that are in there fighting and giving a great effort. We need all six of them to play their best and to do the same in doubles and singles"

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