KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 18, 2021) — ETSU’s Women’s Tennis team played their seventh straight road match in February on Thursday afternoon in Knoxville. The Blue and Gold were unable to upset the 19^th-ranked University of Tennessee on the road as the Vols picked up the 7-0 sweep.   

Tennessee came out of the gates strong in doubles play with a 6-0 win at No. 2 and a 6-3 win at the top spot to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Bucs kept all six singles matches close in the first set, but the Vols won all but one with the largest margin of victory just three games (6-3 at No. 5). Yunuen Elizarraras (Cuernavaca, Mexico) at No. 6 singles came away with the first set win, 7-5. Tennessee won the match at the final singles bout, two sets to one. 

The Bucs have now lost four straight after winning the previous four and hold a 4-6 record. Tennessee improves to 6-2 on the season. The Bucs have the weekend off and will wrap up their nine-match road streak at Charlotte next Friday, Feb. 26.

Singles Competition

1. Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. #118 Carly Briggs (UT) def. Alejandra Morales (ETSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. #52 Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. A Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Emilia Alfaro (ETSU) 7-5, 6-4
5. Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Maria Carvajal (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Callie Creath (UT) def. Yunuen Elizarraras (ETSU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Esther Adeshina/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Alejandra Morales/Mayya Gorbunova (ETSU) 6-3
2. Tenika McGiffin/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Laylo Bakhodirova/Emilia Alfaro (ETSU) 6-0
3. Carly Briggs/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. A Pascual-Larrinaga/Maria Carvajal (ETSU) 7-5 

Match Notes:
ETSU 4-6
University of Tennessee 6-3; National ranking #19
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,5,1,2,4,6)

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