KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dominant singles play highlighted the 20th-ranked Tennessee women’s tennis team’s 6-1 victory over Arkansas Sunday at Barksdale Stadium.
Tennessee (9-2, 2-0 SEC) won each of the six singles matches Sunday, with three of those victories coming in straight sets. Missouri (6-5, 0-2 SEC) took the doubles point with wins on courts three and two to begin the day.
The clinching point came from #34 Daria Kuczer at the No. 2 singles position, dropping just two total games in the final two sets en route to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over Arkansas’ Indianna Spink.
Earlier in the afternoon, Rebeka Mertena, the nation’s 30th-ranked singles player, was responsible for Tennessee’s first singles point of the day, defeating Kelly Keller of Arkansas in straights, 6-3, 6-3 atop the singles lineup.
Tennessee’s Catherine Aulia earned an impressive victory on court four, 6-4, 6-2 over Morgan Cross to increase Tennessee’s advantage to 2-1. Court five was the next to finish, as Tennessee’s Esther Adeshina dominated a first-set tiebreak, 7-1, before rolling to a 6-1 win in set two to take the match going away, 7-6(1), 6-1.
UT’s 59th-ranked Elza Tomase earned a ranked singles win, defeating #74 Carolina Gomez of Arkansas 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 on court four. Lauren Anzalotta capped off a strong singles effort from the Lady Vols, winning a 10-point third set to earn 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) triumph.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols, now 2-0 in SEC play, take an SEC road trip to the state’s capital on Friday, facing #18 Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. ET. From there, Tennessee travels north to play Kentucky in Lexington on Sunday, March 12 at Noon ET.
Full results from Sunday’s match can be found below:
#20 Tennessee 6, Arkansas 1
Singles
1. #30 Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Kelly Keller (ARK) 6-3, 6-3
2. #59 Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #74 Carolina Gomez (ARK) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. #34 Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Indianna Spink (ARK) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
4. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. Morgan Cross (ARK) 6-4, 6-2
5. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Lenka Stara (ARK) 7-6(1), 6-1
6. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) def. Kacie Harvey (ARK) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)
Doubles
1. Esther Adeshina/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) vs. #46 Morgan Cross/Indianna Spink (ARK) 3-5, unfinished
2. Lenka Stara/Grace O’Donnell (ARK) def. Daria Kuczer/Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) 6-3
3. Carolina Gomez/Kelly Keller (ARK) def. Elza Tomase/Catherine Aulia (TENN) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,4,5,3,2,6)
Tennessee (9-2, 2-0 SEC) won each of the six singles matches Sunday, with three of those victories coming in straight sets. Missouri (6-5, 0-2 SEC) took the doubles point with wins on courts three and two to begin the day.
The clinching point came from #34 Daria Kuczer at the No. 2 singles position, dropping just two total games in the final two sets en route to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over Arkansas’ Indianna Spink.
Earlier in the afternoon, Rebeka Mertena, the nation’s 30th-ranked singles player, was responsible for Tennessee’s first singles point of the day, defeating Kelly Keller of Arkansas in straights, 6-3, 6-3 atop the singles lineup.
Tennessee’s Catherine Aulia earned an impressive victory on court four, 6-4, 6-2 over Morgan Cross to increase Tennessee’s advantage to 2-1. Court five was the next to finish, as Tennessee’s Esther Adeshina dominated a first-set tiebreak, 7-1, before rolling to a 6-1 win in set two to take the match going away, 7-6(1), 6-1.
UT’s 59th-ranked Elza Tomase earned a ranked singles win, defeating #74 Carolina Gomez of Arkansas 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 on court four. Lauren Anzalotta capped off a strong singles effort from the Lady Vols, winning a 10-point third set to earn 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) triumph.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols, now 2-0 in SEC play, take an SEC road trip to the state’s capital on Friday, facing #18 Vanderbilt at 4 p.m. ET. From there, Tennessee travels north to play Kentucky in Lexington on Sunday, March 12 at Noon ET.
Full results from Sunday’s match can be found below:
#20 Tennessee 6, Arkansas 1
Singles
1. #30 Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Kelly Keller (ARK) 6-3, 6-3
2. #59 Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #74 Carolina Gomez (ARK) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. #34 Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Indianna Spink (ARK) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
4. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. Morgan Cross (ARK) 6-4, 6-2
5. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Lenka Stara (ARK) 7-6(1), 6-1
6. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) def. Kacie Harvey (ARK) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)
Doubles
1. Esther Adeshina/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) vs. #46 Morgan Cross/Indianna Spink (ARK) 3-5, unfinished
2. Lenka Stara/Grace O’Donnell (ARK) def. Daria Kuczer/Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) 6-3
3. Carolina Gomez/Kelly Keller (ARK) def. Elza Tomase/Catherine Aulia (TENN) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,4,5,3,2,6)
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