Clutch Singles Lead #22 Tennessee Past Wake Forest, 4-3

Sunday, January 23

Winston-Salem, NC

11 AM

University of Tennessee

Wake Forest

Clutch Singles Lead #22 Tennessee Past Wake Forest, 4-3

January 23, 2022 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

Lady Vols start 2-0 after opening weekend

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After dropping the doubles point, the 22^nd-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team roared back in singles against Wake Forest to win, 4-3, capped by a clutch three-set victory by Eleonora Molinaro, Sunday afternoon at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.

"Wake Forest is a very well coached team, we know that and we love playing against them because they help us prepare for SEC play," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "That's what you saw; there was tough competition on every court. I told the team after the doubles point, we are playing solid tennis, there are going to be pressure situations and do we want to be in those and are we able to perform at a high-level in that environment and I thought we came through when we needed to."

Winning the first three singles matches, the Lady Vols dropped the next two singles matches, all eyes fell upon court five with the match score tied 3-3. Eleonora Molinaro picked up a huge break on deuce point to go up 4-1 in the third and cruised through the next two games, taking the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, over Brooke Killingsworth.

"What helped me to break her were my teammates, they gave me the energy I needed to win that match," Molinaro said. "I am so thankful for them helping me to get to the end with that energy."

No. 14 Rebeka Mertena, playing at No. 2, fell behind early, trailing 0-3 in the first set, but she forcefully took the momentum, not dropping a game the rest of the first set. She carried that flow into the second frame, defeating Samantha Martinelli, 6-3, 6-3, and earning Tennessee's first point.

Esther Adeshina picked up a 6-2, 6-3 victory in the No. 6 spot over Peyton Pesavento. Adeshina was able to frustrate Pesavento by slicing and dicing the court, placing the ball in tremendous spots and moving the Wake Forest senior around the baseline at will.

56^th-ranked Elza Tomase nabbed the third Big Orange point, using a powerful serve to take down No. 58 Casie Wooten, 6-2, 6-4, for her second dual match victory, and 20^th win of the season.

While UT dropped the doubles point, Daria Kuczer and Tenika McGiffin grabbed a huge win in the No. 1 slot, defeating second-ranked Brooke Killingsworth and Anna Brylin, 6-3. Tennessee fell on courts two and three by a 4-6 score.

NOW WE'RE EVEN
The Lady Vols tied the all-time series with Wake Forest, 16-16. Tennessee has now won the last three meetings and won for the fourth time in Winston-Salem.

TOMASE'S TWENTY
Freshman Elza Tomase won her 20^th singles match of the season, she currently has the highest singles win total of any Lady Vol.

BATTLING BACK
The Lady Vols won after losing the doubles point for the 12^th time in the Ojeda era, UT has won 10 of those comeback matches in the last three seasons.

UP NEXT
The road stretch continues as the Lady Vols head north to Columbus, Ohio for the ITA Kickoff weekend at Ohio State. Tennessee begins the regional action against No. 21 LSU on Saturday, Jan. 29^th at 1 p.m.

#22 Tennessee 4, Wake Forest 3
Singles
1. #35 Carolyn Campana (WF) def. #41 Tenika McGiffin (TENN) 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
2. #14 Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Samantha Martinelli (WF) 6-3, 6-3
3. #56 Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #58 Casie Wooten (WF) 6-2, 6-4
4. Anna Brylin (WF) def. Daria Kuczer (TENN) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Brooke Killingsworth (WF) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
6. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Peyton Pesavento (WF) 6-2, 6-3

Order of Finish: 2,6,3,4,1,5

Doubles
1. Tenika McGiffin/Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. #2 Brooke Killingsworth/Anna Brylin (WF) 6-3
2. #15 Samantha Martinelli/Casie Wooten (WF) def. Rebeka Mertena/Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-4
3. Peyton Pesavento/Saby Nihalani (WF) def. Eleonora Molinaro/Esther Adeshina (TENN) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1,3,2