Lady Vols Keep Rolling, Beat Alabama, 4-0

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Continuing its hot stretch of play, the 12th-ranked Tennessee women’s tennis team defeated Alabama, 4-0, Sunday afternoon at Goodfriend Tennis Center.

The match started strong for the Lady Vols (13-2, 6-0 SEC), earning comeback wins on Courts 1 and 2 in doubles. Rebeka Mertena and Esther Adeshina were the first to get on the board for UT, defeating #58 Loudmilla Bencheikh/Anne Marie Hiser, 6-4. The pair fell behind early, 3-1, but battled back to take five of the next six games and claim the match.

A court over, Daria Kuczer and Eleonora Molinaro secured the clinch, beating Anna Parkhomenko/Petra Sedlackova, 6-4. Alabama got a break late, going ahead 4-3, but the Lady Vols did not flinch, taking the next three games, including a pair of breaks capped off by a match-winner at deuce and putting Tennessee in the score column first.

“I am really proud of our team’s performance throughout the weekend,” head coach Alison Ojeda said. “Alabama is a good team and forced us to really step up and compete with decisiveness. Today’s match will prove to be a helpful one as we approach this week of practice.”

Tennessee got fantastic singles performances from Elza Tomase and Lauren Anzalotta, winning in straight-sets on Courts 1 and 6. Tomase nabbed yet another ranked victory, dropping #96 Loudmilla Bencheikh 6-2, 6-2. She has now taken down five ranked opponents during her current six-match win streak.

Anzalotta kept the energy up on the far court, defeating Klara Milicevic 6-4, 6-2. The junior dominated in the second stanza, breaking the Bama No. 6 four times in total, including during her first three service games.

Catherine Aulia finished off the match, earning a clinch in a three-set battle with Hiser, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. She was just a few points ahead of Kuczer on Court 3, who was leading 5-3 in the second set and looking for a match win.

UP NEXT: Tennessee heads on the road for a three-match stretch beginning Friday at Georgia. The Lady Vols are slated to take on the Bulldogs at 5 p.m. ET in Athens.

Full results from Sunday’s match can be found below.

#12 Tennessee 4, #45 Alabama 0

Singles

1. #57 Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #96 Loudmilla Bencheikh (UA) 6-2, 6-2

2. #31 Rebeka Mertena (TENN) vs. Ola Pitak (UA) 2-6, 6-3, 1-2, unfinished

3. #37 Daria Kuczer (TENN) vs. Petra Sedlackova (UA) 7-5, 5-3, unfinished

4. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) vs. Anna Parkhomenko (UA) 6-7 (6-8), 4-2, unfinished

5. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. Anne Marie Hiser…