Mertena’s Stellar Day Lifts Lady Vols in Western Carolina Doubleheader

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee women’s tennis team took both matches in its midweek doubleheader against Western Carolina, claiming the first match, 5-2, before defeating the Catamounts, 4-0, in the second match.

Rebeka Mertena was simply fantastic, going 4-0 across both singles and doubles. She and Esther Adeshina posted a pair of 6-0 doubles victories before winning 6-0, 6-1, over Isabella Sambola in the first match and 6-1, 6-1, over Leilany Ipunesso in the second. For the day, Mertena went 36-3 in games played, posting a 12-0 doubles line and a 24-3 singles aggregate game score.

“Western Carolina was a solid opponent for us to face out there today,” head coach Alison Ojeda said. “They played disciplined tennis throughout the matches. Now, I’m excited to get back on the road with the team this weekend and get better.”

Daria Kuczer and Lauren Anzalotta both contributed singles wins in both matches and Kuczer was 4-0 on the day between singles and doubles. She and Leyla Britez Risso, making her collegiate debut, clinched the doubles point in both matches, posting 6-2 wins to give the Lady Vols a 1-0 advantage heading into singles.

Ashtin Hara also made her collegiate debut Wednesday. In her first-ever dual match, she and Anzalotta defeated Andrea Redondo/Jade Groen, 6-4, to post a third win to Tennessee’s doubles line in the first match.

In singles play, Adeshina gobbled up a point for Tennessee (3-1) in the first match, carving up Ipunesso, 6-0, 6-3, for the Lady Vols second singles point of the contest.

Full scores from both of Wednesday’s matches against Western Carolina (2-2) can be found below.

UP NEXT: Tennessee hits the road for a weekend in the Carolinas, beginning with a match at Furman on Friday at 3 p.m. The team will then head to Raleigh, North Carolina, as they face NC State on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Match 1

#22 Tennessee 5, Western Carolina 2

Singles

1. #76 Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-1, 6-0

2. #55 Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Madison Schwarz (WCU) 6-3, 6-1

3. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Leilany Ipunesso (WCU) 6-0, 6-3

4. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) def. Jade Groen (WCU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)

5. Angela Perez (WCU) def. Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) 7-5, 6-4

6. Chloe Schwarz (WCU) def. Ashtin Hara (TENN) 6-3, 7-5

Doubles

1. Esther Adeshina/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Madison Schwarz/Chloe Schwarz (WCU) 6-0

2. Daria Kuczer/Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) def. Angela Perez/Isabella Sambola (WCU) 6-2

3. Lauren Anzalotta/