Doubles Comeback Fuels 6-1 Lady Vol Win at Furman

GREENVILLE, S.C. – A furious doubles comeback and strong singles play pushed the 22nd-ranked Tennessee women’s tennis team to a 6-1 victory over Furman Friday afternoon at Mickel Tennis Center. The match marked the Lady Vols’ first outdoor match of the 2023 dual season.

The first hour of the match was a battle for the coveted doubles point, Furman got ahead early, winning 6-2 on Court 1. Yet, on 2 and 3, the Tennessee (4-1) pairings hunkered down and never gave in, claiming a pair of tiebreaker victories. On Court 3, Elza Tomase and Lauren Anzalotta won the winner-take-all game, 7-5, turning all the attention to Daria Kuczer and Eleonora Molinaro on Court 2. Their match against Marissa Pennings/Ellie Schulson was a back-and-forth affair with neither side able to sustain a lead. With their backs against the wall, Kuczer and Molinaro came through in the clutch, scrapping out a 8-6 victory in the tiebreaker to give Tennessee the early advantage.

Once action turned to singles, the Big Orange kicked into gear. Esther Adeshina was the first to finish, making quick work of her match on Court 6, 6-0, 6-3, against Alexa Griffith.

Shortly after that point, Tomase followed suit, carding a 6-3, 6-2 win over Jess Dawson on Court 2. Teammate, and fellow countrywoman, Rebeka Mertena and Eleonora Molinaro finished at nearly the same time, winning 6-2, 6-1, and 6-1, 6-3, respectively.

For Mertena, the win marked her 95th career singles victory. She currently sits just one win behind Margie Lepsi for ninth on the all-time career single victories charts.

Kuczer rounded out the day of action for the Lady Vols, dominating in a third-set super-tiebreaker against Sara Snyder, 6-4, 1-6, 1-0(10-3).

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols head to Raleigh, North Carolina to face NC State on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 1 p.m. at J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.

Full results from Friday’s match against the Paladins can be found below.

#22 Tennessee 6, Furman 1

Singles

1. Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Ellie Schulson (FUR) 6-2, 6-1

2. Elza Tomase (TENN) def. Jess Dawson (FUR) 6-3, 6-2

3. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Marissa Pennings (FUR) 6-1, 6-3

4. Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Sara Snyder (FUR) 6-4, 6-4

5. Madison Dillon (FUR) def. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) 6-3, 6-4

6. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Alexa Griffith (FUR) 6-0, 6-3

Order of finish: 6,2,3,1,5,4

Doubles

1. Jess Dawson/Sara Snyder (FUR) def. Esther Adeshina/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) 6-2

2. Daria Kuczer/Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Marissa…