Five of six straight set victories

MACON, Ga. (Mar. 24, 2022) – The Blue & Gold got back on their winning ways for their third conference win of the season, downing Mercer 6-1 in Macon Thursday afternoon.

Fernanda Carvajal (Queretaro, Mexico) and Daniela Rivera (Maturin, Venezuela) got it going in the doubles portion with a 6-0 win, their seventh doubles win together this season. Emilia Alfaro (Azul, Argentina) and Mayya Gorbunova (Moscow, Russia) clinched the doubles point with a 6-1 win at their respective flight.

Fresh off a new ranking, Laylo Bakhodirova (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) made quick work of Mercer’s Naya Tillitt with a 6-1, 6-0 win at the No. 1 spot. Carvajal and Yunuen Elizarraras (Cuernavaca, Mexico) each took their singles matches in straight sets to clinch the match for the Bucs. In their three conference matches, the Bucs have allowed just one point. Yunuen’s 6-1, 6-0 win makes it nine consecutive singles matches won.

Rivera and Alfaro each took their singles matches in straight sets to set the Bucs up for the clean sweep, but Mercer’s Mary Courville took the No. 2 flight in three sets. The Bucs have won the last two matches against Mercer 6-1.

Singles Competition

1. #97 Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSU) def. Naya Tillitt (MERW) 6-1, 6-0
2. Mary Courville (MERW) def. Alejandra Morales (ETSU) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-3)
3. Fernanda Carvajal (ETSU) def. Lauren Rich (MERW) 6-1, 6-0
4. Emilia Alfaro (ETSU) def. Alara Hollyfield (MERW) 6-1, 6-1
5. Daniela Rivera (ETSU) def. Lekha Varudandi (MERW) 6-3, 6-2
6. Yunuen Elizarraras (ETSU) def. Francesca Franchi (MERW) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles Competition

1. Naya Tillitt/Mary Courville (MERW) def. Laylo Bakhodirova/Alejandra Morales (ETSU) 6-3
2. Emilia Alfaro/Mayya Gorbunova (ETSU) def. Lauren Rich/Kristin Yordanova (MERW) 6-1
3. Fernanda Carvajal/Daniela Rivera (ETSU) def. Lekha Varudandi/Alara Hollyfield (MERW) 6-0

Match Notes: ETSU 11-7 (3-0 SoCon), Mercer 6-10 (0-3 SoCon)

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

UP NEXT

ETSU continues its conference weekend with a match against Chattanooga on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the UTC Tennis Center.

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