University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Mercer
Lady Vols Finish Weekend 4-0
January 25, 2015 | Women's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Lady Vols ended their four-match weekend on a high note as they defeated Middle Tennessee State and Mercer in a doubleheader.
With the tone set from Saturday's matches, the team was able to follow up its performance by beating Middle Tennessee State 4-3 and Mercer 6-1. The weekend was the right way to start off the season, but the coaches still see improvements that are needed.
"We're going to work on getting better," co-head coach Mike Patrick said about his team's overall performance. "I think we improved some today. We have to get everyone playing up to their potential. Our top girls are definitely playing aggressive and going after it, and if we can get a couple of our girls lower in the lineup playing a little more aggressive, it will help us. Victoria played much more aggressive. Laurence is playing better too."
The team dominated in doubles all weekend, winning all eight of its finished matches. Seniors Joanna Henderson and Caitlyn Williams picked up two wins on Sunday after going unfinished in their two on Saturday. They were able to beat the duo of Jesse Grace and Brittany Huxley from Middle Tennessee State 6-1 and Mercer's Grace Korta and Haley Powell 6-0. The duo improved to 9-2 on the season.
"We're still kind of juggling around a little bit," co-head coach Sonia Hahn Patrick said on the success in doubles. "We've had a couple of injuries, so we've had to shift. I think our number 1 and 2 doubles teams are definitely solidified. At 3, we're still making some adjustments, but Victoria has done a great job being adaptable and playing with different people."
Sophomores Laurence Guevremont and Eve Repic extended their doubles win streak to six in a row today after winning against Laura Kelly and Liza Klyachkin from Mercer 6-2. The streak is career best for both players and is a current team high in doubles.
Unfortunately, that was the only streak that survived the day. Henderson lost to Middle Tennessee State's Tiffany William, the No. 67 ranked singles player according to the ITA, 6-4, 7-5, snapping her six game winning streak. She bounced back by cruising to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Mercer's Xandra Fougner.
Repic also lost a winning streak in singles after losing to Darya Shulzhanok from Middle Tennessee State 6-4, 6-4. She won her second match on the day, though, by beating Grace Korta of Mercer 6-1, 6-0. She has started the season by going an impressive 6-2 in singles and 6-1 in doubles after missing the entire fall.
Sophomore Victoria Olivarez was the lone Tennessee player to come out of the weekend with a perfect 4-0 record in singles. On Sunday, she defeated Giulia Squadrin from Middle Tennessee State 6-0, 6-1 and Haley Powell of Mercer 6-2, 6-1.
"I think I had a rough start to the weekend," Olivarez said about her personal. "I didn't come in as focused or as prepared as I usually do. After Saturday was over, I sat down with Mike and Sonia to have a talk about changing my mindset around. I ended the weekend great, but I had a rough start."
Williams also went undefeated but only played in one match, defeating Jesse Grace from Middle Tennessee State 6-0, 6-1 in her first singles match of the season.
Guevremont finished off the weekend with two big wins after losing in her final match on Saturday. She was able to get victories over Brittany Huxley from Middle Tennessee State and Roxy Bartz from Mercer. Junior Tiffany Tavares split matches with her opponents by beating Liza Klyachkin after losing to Nayara Moraes.
"They did great," Hahn-Patrick said when describing how the team played. "To come out of the weekend playing four matches and 4-0 is a great confidence booster. A lot of the girls on the team needed to play matches, and they played well. I'm pleased to see the progress they've made from the first to last match."
The Lady Vols will be back in action next weekend as they travel to Michigan to face Michigan, Detroit and Western Michigan in two days before returning home to face Ohio State on Feb. 13.
Tennessee 4, MTSU 3
Singles
1. #67 Tiffany William, MTSU, def. Joanna Henderson, UT, 6-4, 7-5
2. Darya Shulzhanok, MTSU, def. Eve Repic, UT, 6-4, 6-4
3. Caitlyn Williams, UT, def. Jesse Grace, MTSU, 6-0, 6-1
4. Victoria Olivarez, UT, def. Giulia Squadrin, MTSU, 6-3, 6-1
5. Laurence Guevremont, UT, def. Brittany Huxley, MTSU, 6-4, 6-2
6. Nayara Moraes, MTSU, def. Tiffany Tavares, UT, 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. Henderson/Williams, UT, def. Grace/Huxley, MTSU, 6-1
2. Repic/Guevremont, UT, vs. William/Shulzhanok, MTSU, 3-3 unf.
3. Tavares/Olivarez, UT, def. Moraes/Squadrin, MTSU, 6-1
Order of Finish Doubles (3, 1); Singles (4, 3, 6, 5, 2, 1)
Tennessee 6, Mercer 1
Singles
1. Joanna Henderson, UT, def. Xandra Fougner, Mercer, 6-2, 6-1
2. Eve Repic, UT, def. Grace Korta, Mercer, 6-1, 6-0
3. Victoria Olivarez, UT, def. Haley Powell, Mercer, 6-2, 6-1
4. Laurence Guevremont, UT, def. Roxy Bartz, Mercer, 6-0, 6-1
5. Tiffany Tavares, UT, def. Liza Klyachkin, Mercer, 6-1, 6-3
6. Match forfeited by UT
Doubles
1. Henderson/Williams, UT, def. Korta/Powell, Mercer, 6-0
2. Repic/Guevremont, UT, def. Kelly/Klyachkin, Mercer, 6-2
3. Tavares/Olivarez, UT, vs. Bartz/Fougner, Mercer, 4-2 unf.
Order of Finish Doubles (1, 2); Singles (6, 4, 2, 1, 5, 3)
