University of Tennessee Athletics
Mertena Falls in Three-Set Battle at NCAA Singles Championship
May 23, 2022 | Women's Tennis
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Rebeka Mertena battled her way back to a third-set in the NCAA Singles Championship, but fell short of victory against seventh-seeded Erin Cayetano of Southern California.
Cayetano jumped out to a quick first set victory, winning 6-1, but the senior from Latvia put her head down and got to work in the second, turning the tide late in the match breaking the Trojan at deuce point to go up 5-4. The pair battled it out and had to go to a tiebreaker where Mertena dominated the frame, blanking the USC player 7-0 to force a third set.
The sides traded blows early, with Mertena holding at deuce to go up 3-2. Cayetano found her rhythm from then on, eventually taking the set, and the match, 6-3 for a final tally of 1-6, 7-6(0), 3-6.
The Lady Vols have a doubles pairing slated to go tomorrow as No. 21 Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer take the court to begin the NCAA Doubles Championship.
Cayetano jumped out to a quick first set victory, winning 6-1, but the senior from Latvia put her head down and got to work in the second, turning the tide late in the match breaking the Trojan at deuce point to go up 5-4. The pair battled it out and had to go to a tiebreaker where Mertena dominated the frame, blanking the USC player 7-0 to force a third set.
The sides traded blows early, with Mertena holding at deuce to go up 3-2. Cayetano found her rhythm from then on, eventually taking the set, and the match, 6-3 for a final tally of 1-6, 7-6(0), 3-6.
The Lady Vols have a doubles pairing slated to go tomorrow as No. 21 Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer take the court to begin the NCAA Doubles Championship.
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