Kuczer Extends Winning Streak, Lady Vols Blank ETSU

Thursday, February 18

Knoxville, Tenn.

11 a.m. ET/ No Spectators Permitted

University of Tennessee

ETSU

Photo by: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

February 18, 2021 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Results Photo Gallery

By: Ricky Martinez

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Thursday saw the No. 19-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team blank ETSU 7-0 and junior Daria Kuczer extend her season-long singles winning streak to seven matches inside the Goodfriend Tennis Center.

"ETSU played some very solid tennis and made us work hard for every match," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We did a good job competing and setting up points. I'm really looking forward to getting on the bus and heading down to Georgia this weekend."

With the win, the Lady Vols (6-2) wrap up their nonconference schedule with a perfect 5-0 record at home.

UT started fast, winning the doubles point with three wins over ETSU (4-6).

On court two, junior Tenika McGiffin and freshman Eleonora Molinaro collected the first win of the day with a 6-0 triumph over Laylo Bakhodirova and Emilia Alfaro. The pair hold a 1-1 record this season heading into SEC play.

Kuczer and freshman Esther Adeshina, making their debut on court one, clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Alejandra Morales and Mayya Gorbunova. The newcomer-duo hold an 8-3 record this season and are 7-1 in dual match play.

Sophomore Carly Briggs and junior Rebeka Mertena collected their second-straight win with a 7-5 triumph on court three to close out doubles play. They improve to 2-1 as doubles partners.

In singles play, the Lady Vols were dominant over ETSU as they only surrendered one set on the day.

No. 52-ranked Mertena earned the first singles point with a 6-4, 6-3 dismantling of Pascual-Larrinaga on court three. The Liepaja, Latvia native closes out 2021 nonconference play with a 6-2 dual match record.

Kuczer earned her seventh-straight win dating back to Jan. 15 to give UT a 3-0 lead. The transfer by way of Pepperdine downed Carvajal in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) to improve to a perfect 7-0 in dual match play. She heads into her debut SEC campaign with a 13-5 singles record.

In her first singles match on Rocky Top, Molinaro clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win on court one. The Luxembourg City, Luxembourg native downed Bakhodirova for her first collegiate win to give UT a 4-0 lead in the dual.

No. 118-ranked Briggs followed with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 triumph over Morales on court two to extend the Big Orange lead to 5-0. Briggs enters SEC play with a 12-6 singles mark and a 3-3 dual-match record.

McGiffin added a point with a straight-set (7-5, 6-4) triumph over Alfaro on court four to earn her 47th-career win. The Brisbane, Australia product heads into conference play with a 10-9 singles record this season and a 5-1 mark in dual-match play.

Sophomore Callie Creath closed the match at 7-0 by winning a three-set bout (5-7, 6-2, 6-3) over Yunuen Elizarraras on court six. With the win, the Austin, Texas earned her third-straight win to match her career-long winning streak from Jan. 15-Jan. 18 this season and improves to 3-0 in three-set matches this season. Creath owns a 9-6 singles record and 6-1 mark in dual-match play in the 2020-2021 season.

Up next, the Lady Vols head to Athens, Georgia to open SEC play against Georgia on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. ET.

FOLLOW THE LADY VOLS!
Fans can keep up with the latest Tennessee women's tennis news by following the program on its Facebook (Facebook.com/TennesseeWomensTennis), Twitter (@Vol_WTennis) and Instagram (Vol_WTennis) accounts.