The evening was chalk-full of drama-packed action from beginning to end. Five tiebreakers were needed to settle matches with three coming in singles action and two on the doubles side.
“Kentucky came out with a ton of energy and really forced our players to step up and play focused and determined tennis,” head coach Alison Ojeda said. “Our whole team did well, but Rebeka and Esther really showed a lot of maturity in the way they competed.”
The Lady Vols got off to a strong start thanks to the play of Lauren Anzalotta and Rebeka Mertena on Court 1. They jumped out to an early 3 games to love lead and never looked back, trading games for the rest of the first-to-eight match and securing an 8-5 win.
Tennessee got its second doubles win thanks to two ITA National Fall Championship qualifiers in Elza Tomase and Eleonora Molinaro. Though the duo won’t play together in the tournament, they came through in the clutch Thursday evening, pushing through the tiebreaker against Kentucky’s Zoe Hammond and Elizabeth Stevens for an 8-7 victory.
As the courts transitioned to singles, Esther Adeshina arose with a dominant, tone-setting victory on Court 5. In a match that lasted just over an hour, she carved Hammond in straight-sets, posting a 6-1, 6-3 win.
Then came the drama. On Courts 1, 3 and 4, a tiebreaker decided the match. Sandwiched between those finishes was an Anzalotta winner, 7-5, 6-3 on Court 6. Tomase was the first one to punch her victory in, clawing for every point in a grinding super-tiebreak set, and finishing the 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 win. The next win was the exact same score line, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8, but in this it was Catherin Aulia who earned the win over Maialen Morante.
Mertena put a bow on the match, finishing in just under two hours with a 6-3, 6-7(2), 10-4 victory to closeout the evening under the lights for the Lady Vols.
Tennessee will be back in action at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Barksdale Stadium. The Vols are in the second session of the day, and Session 3 of the tournament.
Session 1 – Thurs. 10/27 – COMPLETE
Session 2 – Fri. 10/28 – 10 a.m.
Session 3 – Fri. 10/28 – 2 p.m.
Session 4 – Sat. 10/29 – 10 a.m.
Session 5 – Sat. 10/29 – 2 p.m.
Session 6 – Sun. 10/20 – 9 a.m.
All sessions are slated to be played at Barksdale Stadium, weather permitting.
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