University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Ole Miss
UT Ousts Defending SEC Tournament Champion Ole Miss, 5-4
April 21, 2000 | Women's Tennis
The Tennessee Lady Vol tennis teams' run at the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Oxford, Miss., will continue for another day after the Orange and White defeated defending tournament champion Ole Miss, 5-4, on Friday afternoon at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. The victory reverses a 5-4 setback Tennessee suffered exactly two weeks ago to the home-standing Lady Rebels on April 7. With the triumph UT improves to 18-10 on the season while Ole Miss drops to 16-7.
The contest's outcome came down to the doubles matches as the Lady Vols held a 4-2 advantage following singles competition. Ole Miss cut the deficit to 4-3 when the No. 3 tandem of Julie DeRoo and Irena Mihailova netted an 8-5 decision over UT's duo of freshman Crystal Cleveland (Delray Beach, Fla.) and sophomore Meiling Parks (Abilene, Texas). The Lady Rebels then deadlocked the contest at four apiece when the Orange and White's top pair of freshman Vilmarie Castellvi (Guaynabo, P.R.) and sophomore Alison Ojeda (San Antonio, Texas), who are ranked 22nd in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings dropped an 8-5 affair to the 36th-rated team of Celeste Frey and Marianna Eberle. On the strengths of an 8-3 victory over UM's Ivona Mihailova and Alesya Ignatieva, the UT tandem of senior Candy Reid (Surrey, England) and sophomore Agnes Wiski (Flushing, N.Y) punched the Lady Vols' ticket to the semifinals for the first time since 1998.
In singles, it was a day of upsets for the Orange and White as three UT netters registered victories over ranked opponents. Leading the charge for Tennessee was Ojeda, who stunned 17th-ranked Ivona Mihailova in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5), at the top singles position. The win was the sophomore's fourth straight over a ranked opponent. The Lady Vols also received support from Castellvi who withstood the challenge of No. 42 DeRoo to record a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, three-set decision at No. 3. Also joining the upset parade for UT was Reid who recorded a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, triumph over 33rd-rated Mira Radu at the fifth singles slot. Additionally, Cleveland extended her winning skein to 15 consecutive matches with a 6-4, 6-4, victory against Ignatieva at the sixth position.
The Orange and White now advance to the semifinals for the fifth time in tournament history. The Lady Vols will face the winner of the Georgia (20-1)/Mississippi State (10-9) match, which is currently underway, on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
#18 Tennessee 5, #14 Mississippi 4 Singles: No. 1 #78 Alison Ojeda (UT) def. #17 Ivona Mihailova (UM), 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) No. 2 #39 Celeste Frey (UM) def. Agnes Wiski (UT), 6-1, 6-1 No. 3 Vilmarie Castellvi (UT) def. #42 Julie DeRoo (UM), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 No. 4 #66 Mariana Eberle (UM) def. Meiling Parks (UT), 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 No. 5 Candy Reid (UT) def. #33 Mira Radu (UM), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 No. 6 Crystal Cleveland (UT) def. Alesya Ignatieva (UM), 6-4, 6-4Doubles: No. 1 #36 Eberle/Frey (UM) def. #22 Castellvi/Ojeda (UT), 8-5 No. 2 Reid/Wiski (UT) def. Iv. Mihailova/Ignatieva (UM), 8-3 No. 3 DeRoo/Irena Mihailova (UM) def. Cleveland/Parks (UT), 8-5
