CINCINNATI, Ohio. (March 2, 2019) – The ETSU women’s tennis team played their second straight match in Cincinnati at the Eastern Hills Indoor Tennis Club. The Bucs battled, but fell to Xavier 4-3, falling to 5-7 overall, while Xavier improves to 8-2.

ETSU won their second straight doubles point in back-to-back matches. Xavier’s Sophia Abelson and Kaitlin Ruether defeated Raquel Amaro (Caracas, Venezuela) and Yi Chi Ma (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) 6-1. The Bucs would bounce back to win the doubles point after Yunuen Elizarraraas (Cuernavaca, Mexico) and Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga (Santiago, Chile) picked up a 6-2 win at the No. 3 doubles spot. Laylo Bakhodirova (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) and Alejandra Morales (Santiago, Chile) clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win at the No. 1 doubles spot.

Xavier evened the match after Ruether defeated Yi Chi Ma 7-5, 6-0. Bakhodirova lost her first set, but came back to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 to put the Bucs back out in front. Morales won her first set, but fell to Abelson 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. Raquel Amaro won her ninth match of the season after earning a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Rachel Rechenbach at the No. 4 spot. Xavier would not give up, as they once again tied the match. Hunter Roper defeated Elizarraras 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 5 spot. With the match tied, Pascual-Larrinaga was the fifth Buc to play a three-set match. Emily Thomas won the first set 6-3, but Pasual-Larrinaga took the second set 2-6. A 6-2 win by Thomas would clinch the match for the Musketeers.

ETSU has a week off before returning to action on Saturday, March 16 at VCU. The match is set for noon.

Singles competition

1. Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSUW) def. Kyle, Ahmeir (XU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3

2. Abelson, Sophia (XU) def. Alejandra Morales (ETSUW) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5

3. Thomas, Emily (XU) def. A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2

4. Raquel Amaro (ETSUW) def. Reichenbach, Rachael (XU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3

5. Roper, Hunter (XU) def. Yunuen Elizarraras (ETSUW) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

6. Ruether, Kaitlin (XU) def. Yi Chi Ma (ETSUW) 7-5, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Laylo Bakhodirova/Alejandra Morales (ETSUW) def. Kyle, Ahmeir/Thomas, Emily (XU) 6-4

2. Abelson, Sophia/Ruether, Kaitlin (XU) def. Raquel Amaro/Yi Chi Ma (ETSUW) 6-1

3. Yunuen Elizarraras/A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) def. Roper, Hunter/Reichenbach, Rachael (XU) 6-2

Match Notes: ETSU women's tennis 5-7 Xavier 8-2

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,1,2,4,5,3)

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