Lady Vols Blank Syracuse, 4-0

Sunday, January 24

Columbus, Ohio

10 a.m. ET

University of Tennessee

Syracuse

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2021.01.18 - Tennessee vs. Furman

Photo by: Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics

January 24, 2021 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Result

By: Ricky Martinez

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sunday saw the Tennessee women's tennis team defeat Syracuse, 4-0, to close out the ITA Kickoff Weekend.

"Syracuse is a good team and we did a good job rebounding from yesterday's loss," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We came out with a sense of professionalism and competed from start to finish. I'm really excited about Rebeka's (Mertena) performance. She was on a mission today and I'm happy for her to have performed the way she did."

The Lady Vols (4-1) took the doubles point over the Orange (0-2). UT has yet to surrender the doubles point five matches into the 2021 season.

The pair of senior Tenika McGiffin and sophomore Carly Briggs collected the first win of the day woth a 6-3 triumph over Viktoryia Kanapatskaya and Natalie Novotna on court one.

Junior Daria Kuczer and freshman Esther Adeshina clinched the point on court two with a 6-4 win over Polina Kozyreva and Sofya Treshcheva.

On court three, junior Rebeka Mertena and Callie Creath were up 5-4 over Miranda Ramirez and Zeynep Erman 5-4 when the doubles point was clinched.

UT won singles matches on courts three, six and five to leave Columbus, Ohio with a win.

No. 52-ranked Mertena opened singles scoring with a 6-2, 6-2 dismantling of Ramirez on court three to move to 4-1 in dual match play this season.

On court six, Creath quickly gave UT a 3-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kozyreva. The Austin, Texas product holds a 4-1 record in dual match play.

Kuczer sealed the victory on court five with her straight-set victory (6-0, 6-3) over Erman. The transfer, by way of Pepperdine, holds a perfect 4-0 record in dual matches to open her Tennessee career.

Up next, the Lady Vols host Wake Forest inside the Goodfriend Tennis Center on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. ET.

All home matches played inside the Goodfriend Tennis Center will be conducted without fans per SEC COVID-19 protocols. Information regarding fans at outdoor matches played at Barksdale Stadium will be announced at a later date.

University of Tennessee 4, Syracuse 0
Singles
1. #118 Carly Briggs (UT) vs. Natalie Novotna (SU) 2-6, 4-3, unfinished
2. #85 Johanna Silva (UT) vs. #121 V. Kanapatskaya (SU) 2-6, 3-4, unfinished
3. #52 Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Miranda Ramirez (SU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Tenika McGiffin (UT) vs. Sofya Treshcheva (SU) 2-6, 1-4, unfinished
5. Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Zeynep Erman (SU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Callie Creath (UT) def. Polina Kozyreva (SU) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
1. Tenika McGiffin/Carly Briggs (UT) def. V. Kanapatskaya/Natalie Novotna (SU) 6-3
2. Daria Kuczer/Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Polina Kozyreva/Sofya Treshcheva (SU) 6-4
3. Rebeka Mertena/Callie Creath (UT) vs. Miranda Ramirez/Zeynep Erman (SU) 5-4, unfinished

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