University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols Close Tar Heel Invitational with Seven Wins Highlighted by Top-20 Victory
January 09, 2022 | Women's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Tenika McGiffin finished off the weekend defeating the 19th-ranked singles player in the country for the Tennessee women's tennis team's seventh victory at the Tar Heel Invitational, Sunday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Center.
McGiffin battled through two hard sets with No. 19 Fiona Crawley of North Carolina. After a back-and-forth start to the second frame, McGiffin knotted it up at 4-4. She broke Crawley at 15-40, setting her up with serve leading, 5-4. She cashed in holding serve and took down her second top-20 opponent of the season, 6-3, 6-4.
"We knew coming into this weekend that we were going to have a lot of opportunities," head coach Alison Ojeda said at the conclusion of the weekend. "It was a matter of making sure we put ourselves in position to take advantage of opportunities. Tenika went and competed this December, she was ready to go, so did Daria. So this opportunity Tenika had today, she was ready for it."
In the morning doubles session, Eleonora Molinaro and Esther Adeshina cruised to their second win of the weekend with a convincing 6-0 victory over Lindsay Zink/Sara McClure of North Carolina. Elza Tomase and Rebeka Mertena also won their second doubles match of the weekend, beating Sophia Patel and Anika Yarlagadda, 6-1.
In singles, Adeshina trailed early, 4-1, but found a groove after the fifth game as she took the last 11 games of the match. Adeshina secured a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sara McClure. Tomase and Molinaro made quick work of their matches and were the first Lady Vols to finish. Tomase, ranked No. 56, took down Lindsay Zink 6-1, 6-2, while Molinaro bested Patel 6-0, 6-2.
The seventh victory of the day came in another dual featuring two Lady Vols. Daria Kuczer and Callie Creath squared off on court six and Kuczer came away victorious, 6-3, 6-1.
Next up for Tennessee is the 2022 season opener when the Lady Vols return to the Tar Heel state to face Charlotte on Jan. 21 at 12 p.m. and Wake Forest on Jan. 23.
Full results from the tournament can be found below, for the most up to date information about Lady Vol tennis, follow the team on Twitter.
Tar Heel Invitational
Day One Results
Singles
Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sophia Patel (UNC) 6-4, 6-1
Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Sara McClure (UNC) 6-2, 6-2
Elizabeth Scotty (UNC) def. #41 Tenika McGiffin (UT) 6-3, 6-1
#19 Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. #56 Elza Tomase (UT) 6-1, 6-4
Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 6-3
#5 Cameron Morra (UNC) def. #14 Rebeka Mertena (UT) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
Callie Creath(UT) def. Kylie Duckworth(UT) 3-6, 7-5, 1-0(10-6)
Doubles
Tenika McGiffin/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. #1 Elizabeth Scotty/Fiona Crawley (UNC) 7-5
Elza Tomase/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Anika Yarlagadda/Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-2
Eleonora Molinaro/Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sophia Patel/Sara McClure (UNC) 6-2
Day Two Results
Singles
#56 Elza Tomase (UT) def. Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-1, 6-2
Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Sophia Patel (UNC) 6-0, 6-2
Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sara McClure (UNC) 6-4, 6-0
Elizabeth Scotty (UNC) def. #14 Rebeka Mertena (UT) 6-2, 6-2
Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Callie Creath (UT) 6-3, 6-1
#41 Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. #19 Fiona Crawley (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Esther Adeshina/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Lindsay Zink/Sara McClure (UNC) 6-0
Elza Tomase/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Sophia Patel/Anika Yarlagadda (UNC) 6-1
#1 Elizabeth Scotty/Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. Daria Kuczer/Tenika McGiffin (UT) 6-1
McGiffin battled through two hard sets with No. 19 Fiona Crawley of North Carolina. After a back-and-forth start to the second frame, McGiffin knotted it up at 4-4. She broke Crawley at 15-40, setting her up with serve leading, 5-4. She cashed in holding serve and took down her second top-20 opponent of the season, 6-3, 6-4.
"We knew coming into this weekend that we were going to have a lot of opportunities," head coach Alison Ojeda said at the conclusion of the weekend. "It was a matter of making sure we put ourselves in position to take advantage of opportunities. Tenika went and competed this December, she was ready to go, so did Daria. So this opportunity Tenika had today, she was ready for it."
In the morning doubles session, Eleonora Molinaro and Esther Adeshina cruised to their second win of the weekend with a convincing 6-0 victory over Lindsay Zink/Sara McClure of North Carolina. Elza Tomase and Rebeka Mertena also won their second doubles match of the weekend, beating Sophia Patel and Anika Yarlagadda, 6-1.
In singles, Adeshina trailed early, 4-1, but found a groove after the fifth game as she took the last 11 games of the match. Adeshina secured a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sara McClure. Tomase and Molinaro made quick work of their matches and were the first Lady Vols to finish. Tomase, ranked No. 56, took down Lindsay Zink 6-1, 6-2, while Molinaro bested Patel 6-0, 6-2.
The seventh victory of the day came in another dual featuring two Lady Vols. Daria Kuczer and Callie Creath squared off on court six and Kuczer came away victorious, 6-3, 6-1.
Next up for Tennessee is the 2022 season opener when the Lady Vols return to the Tar Heel state to face Charlotte on Jan. 21 at 12 p.m. and Wake Forest on Jan. 23.
Full results from the tournament can be found below, for the most up to date information about Lady Vol tennis, follow the team on Twitter.
Tar Heel Invitational
Day One Results
Singles
Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sophia Patel (UNC) 6-4, 6-1
Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Sara McClure (UNC) 6-2, 6-2
Elizabeth Scotty (UNC) def. #41 Tenika McGiffin (UT) 6-3, 6-1
#19 Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. #56 Elza Tomase (UT) 6-1, 6-4
Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 6-3
#5 Cameron Morra (UNC) def. #14 Rebeka Mertena (UT) 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
Callie Creath(UT) def. Kylie Duckworth(UT) 3-6, 7-5, 1-0(10-6)
Doubles
Tenika McGiffin/Daria Kuczer (UT) def. #1 Elizabeth Scotty/Fiona Crawley (UNC) 7-5
Elza Tomase/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Anika Yarlagadda/Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-2
Eleonora Molinaro/Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sophia Patel/Sara McClure (UNC) 6-2
Day Two Results
Singles
#56 Elza Tomase (UT) def. Lindsay Zink (UNC) 6-1, 6-2
Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Sophia Patel (UNC) 6-0, 6-2
Esther Adeshina (UT) def. Sara McClure (UNC) 6-4, 6-0
Elizabeth Scotty (UNC) def. #14 Rebeka Mertena (UT) 6-2, 6-2
Daria Kuczer (UT) def. Callie Creath (UT) 6-3, 6-1
#41 Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. #19 Fiona Crawley (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Esther Adeshina/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) def. Lindsay Zink/Sara McClure (UNC) 6-0
Elza Tomase/Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Sophia Patel/Anika Yarlagadda (UNC) 6-1
#1 Elizabeth Scotty/Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. Daria Kuczer/Tenika McGiffin (UT) 6-1
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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