ETSU will play No. 1 Furman on Sunday at 1.00 p.m.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (April 21, 2018) – After a dominating 4-0 win over Wofford in the first round, the ETSU women’s tennis team carried that momentum into the Southern Conference semifinals with a 4-0 victory over No. 3 Samford on Saturday afternoon at the Champions Club.

Just like in the opening round of the SoCon Tournament, the Bucs claimed the first two doubles matches to clinch the point. Yi Chi Ma (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) and Melissa Esguerra (Derrimutt, Australia) ran past Elsa Pool and Holly Horsfall to grab a 6-0 win. Alejandra Morales (Santiago, Chile) and Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga (Basauri, Spain) clinched the doubles point for the Bucs with a 6-1 win over Arianna Beltrame and Grace Jennings.

Yi Chi Ma went undefeated on the day after she downed Grace Jennings 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 6 singles spot. Senior Alory Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) gave the Bucs their third point of the match after she defeated Roos van der Zwaan 6-2, 6-2. Freshman Morales would clinch the match for the Bucs with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Elsa Pool.

With today’s win, ETSU moves to 13-10, while Samford finishes their season with 13-10 overall record.

No. 1 Furman topped No. 3 Chattanooga 4-0 to claim the second spot in the championship match. First serve between the Bucs and the Paladins is set for 2:00 p.m., April 22 at the McCallie School.

Singles competition

1. Alory Pereira (ETSUW) def. Roos van der Zwaan (SAM) 6-3, 6-2
2. Ioanna Markesini (ETSUW) vs. Holly Horsfall (SAM) 6-4, 5-1, unfinished
3. A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) vs. Ellie Gerlach (SAM) 6-3, 2-4, unfinished
4. Alejandra Morales (ETSUW) def. Elsa Pool (SAM) 6-1, 6-4
5. Melissa Esguerra (ETSUW) vs. Arianna Beltrame (SAM) 7-6 (7-1), unfinished
6. Yi Chi Ma (ETSUW) def. Grace Jennings (SAM) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Alory Pereira/Ioanna Markesini (ETSUW) vs. Roos van der Zwaan/Ellie Gerlach (SAM) 3-3, unfinished
2. Yi Chi Ma/Melissa Esguerra (ETSUW) def. Elsa Pool/Holly Horsfall (SAM) 6-0
3. Alejandra Morales/A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) def. Arianna Beltrame/Grace Jennings (SAM) 6-1

Match Notes:

Samford 13-10

ETSU 13-10

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,1,4)

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For more information on Buccaneer women’s tennis visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women’s tennis page.