Deacs Fall to Vols During Day One of 2023 ITA Kickoff Weekend

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Taking on its first major test of the 2023 spring campaign, Wake Forest women’s tennis faced No. 22 Tennessee on Friday afternoon (Jan. 27) in the 14th annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Kickoff Weekend’s opening day.

The Demon Deacons (2-1) gave collective effort but ultimately fell to the Volunteers (1-0) in a 4-0 sweep.

No. 27 Casie Wooten, Anna Brylin, and Brooke Killingsworth all competed against ranked foes once singles action unfolded.

Wake Forest moves to a 17-15 all-time record versus Tennessee.

The ITA Kickoff event wraps tomorrow evening, with the Deacs slated to go against Old Dominion in a consolation matchup.

 

How it Happened

• Doubles play began pretty evenly between the two schools, as No. 12 Anna Brylin/Brooke Killingsworth took a 3-1 lead on court one.

• Tennessee won in third doubles, 6-1.

• After letting up their fifth game, Brylin/Killingsworth rallied back to take a 4-2 lead.

  
  
  

• Nonetheless, the Vols captured a 6-2 decision in second doubles to secure the first point of the afternoon match.

  
  
  

• Underway in singles, freshman Stella Li started set one strongly, quickly winning her first two games.

  
  

  • Over in a ranked matchup against No. 68 Elza Tomase, Brylin also took a slight advantage early on in second singles, 2-1.

    
    
    

• Notching three more consecutive games, Pate soon became the first Deacon to grab a set in singles (6-3).

• Brylin battled through rallies to secure her opening frame as well (6-3).

  
  
  

• Pate saw her court enter a third set.

• Tennessee went up 2-0 in the match after picking up a win in fourth singles.

• Killingsworth nearly forced a tiebreaker in her opening period before falling in a 7-5 finish.

• A win in sixth singles stretched the Vols’ advantage to 3-0.

• Tennessee put an end to the match with another straight sets victory, this one happening in first singles.

• Wake Forest fell, 4-0.

Doubles Results:

1. No. 12 Anna Brylin/Brooke Killingsworth (WF) vs. Esther Adeshina/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) 5-3, unfinished.

2. Eleonora Molinaro/Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Mia Ahmad/Casie Wooten (WF) 2-6

3. Elza Tomase/Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) def. Nevena Carton/Whitley Pate (WF) 1-6

Order of Finish: 3, 2

Singles Results:

1. No. 76 Rebeka…