University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, April 5
Columbia, Mo.
6:00 PM
University of Tennessee
4
at
1
Missouri
Photo by: Austin Perryman/Tennessee Athletics
No. 17 Lady Vols Defeat Missouri for Fifth Straight SEC Win
April 05, 2019 | Women's Tennis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 17th-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team won its fifth-straight conference match Friday evening, taking down Missouri, 4-1.
This marks the first time since the 2011 season that the Lady Vols have rattled off five straight SEC wins. It's also the first time since 2011 that Tennessee has won three straight SEC road matches.
"We got better both on and off the court today," Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. "I'm really happy with the way our girls are competing.
"It's something we have worked hard at and every time we get on the court, we continue to improve. The one thing I am most impressed with today is our ability to handle adversity. Our team has grown a lot together and I'm proud of them."
The Lady Vols' three singles wins came at the No. 2, 3 and 4 spots in the lineup.
Johanna Silva clinched the win for Tennessee (17-5, 7-3 SEC) on Court 3 with a 7-6 (4), 6-0 victory over Ellie Wright. Silva faced a 5-6 deficit in the first set before battling back to win the next set and the tiebreaker, before going on the shut out Wright in the second set.
The Lady Vols' first singles win came at the hands of Kaitlin Staines on Court 2. The sophomore dispatched of Missouri's Serena Nash in two quick sets, 6-0, 6-2.
On Court 4, Rebeka Mertena continued her recent singles hot streak. The freshman defeated Lisa Fukutoku, 6-3, 6-2, to push Tennessee's advantage over the Tigers to 3-0.
The Liepaja, Latvia native has now won 12 of her past 13 singles matches and possesses seven singles wins in SEC play, which stands as the most on the team.
Tennessee won the doubles point with victories on Court 1 and 3.
Mertena and Silva clinched the point by defeating Gabrielle Goldin and Serena Nash on Court 3, 6-4. The Lady Vol duo trailed, 3-4, before winning the final three games.
Tennessee's 16th-ranked doubles pair of Sadie Hammond and Staines grabbed a win on Court 1 with a 6-2 win over Wright and Fukutoku. The pair improves to 6-2 in SEC doubles competition with the win.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols head to Fayetteville, Ark. for a Sunday match against the No. 40 Arkansas Razorbacks. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
QUOTES
Junior Johanna Silva
"Today was a very successful day. We came out strong and took care of business and were able to overcome all the hurdles mentally with great energy and focus. I'm looking forward to competing against Arkansas and getting the guac."
Freshman Rebeka Mertena
"I think everybody did a great job today. We competed well, executed, and accomplished what we set out to do. We're looking forward to taking on Arkansas next!"
Assistant Coach Euan McIntosh
"Today was a great team performance from the first ball. We came flying out the gates on court one during doubles and that set the tone for the rest of the team to follow and we never looked back. The girls have a taste for winning and they don't want to give that up, which makes them very dangerous! I'm very excited to get back on the court versus Arkansas on Sunday."
RESULTS
No. 17 Tennessee 4, Missouri 1
Singles
1️. #65 Sadie Hammond (UT) vs. #124 Mackenzy Middlebrooks (UM), 3-6, 6-1, 0-1, unfinished
2. Kaitlin Staines (UT) def. Serena Nash (UM), 6-0, 6-2
3️. Johanna Silva (UT) def. Ellie Wright (UM), 7-6 (4), 6-0
4️. Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Lisa Fukutoku (UM), 6-3, 6-2
5️. Tenika McGiffin (UT) vs. Marta Oliveira (UM), 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
6️. Vivien Abraham (UM) def. Maia Haumuller (UT), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
1️. #16 Hammond/Staines (UT) def. Wright/Fukutoku (UM), 6-2
2️. Haumuller/McGiffin (UT) vs. Oliveira/Middlebrooks (UM), 6-5, unfinished
3️. Mertena/Silva (UT) def. Goldin/Nash (UM), 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3); Singles (2, 4, 6, 3)
This marks the first time since the 2011 season that the Lady Vols have rattled off five straight SEC wins. It's also the first time since 2011 that Tennessee has won three straight SEC road matches.
"We got better both on and off the court today," Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. "I'm really happy with the way our girls are competing.
"It's something we have worked hard at and every time we get on the court, we continue to improve. The one thing I am most impressed with today is our ability to handle adversity. Our team has grown a lot together and I'm proud of them."
The Lady Vols' three singles wins came at the No. 2, 3 and 4 spots in the lineup.
Johanna Silva clinched the win for Tennessee (17-5, 7-3 SEC) on Court 3 with a 7-6 (4), 6-0 victory over Ellie Wright. Silva faced a 5-6 deficit in the first set before battling back to win the next set and the tiebreaker, before going on the shut out Wright in the second set.
The Lady Vols' first singles win came at the hands of Kaitlin Staines on Court 2. The sophomore dispatched of Missouri's Serena Nash in two quick sets, 6-0, 6-2.
On Court 4, Rebeka Mertena continued her recent singles hot streak. The freshman defeated Lisa Fukutoku, 6-3, 6-2, to push Tennessee's advantage over the Tigers to 3-0.
The Liepaja, Latvia native has now won 12 of her past 13 singles matches and possesses seven singles wins in SEC play, which stands as the most on the team.
Tennessee won the doubles point with victories on Court 1 and 3.
Mertena and Silva clinched the point by defeating Gabrielle Goldin and Serena Nash on Court 3, 6-4. The Lady Vol duo trailed, 3-4, before winning the final three games.
Tennessee's 16th-ranked doubles pair of Sadie Hammond and Staines grabbed a win on Court 1 with a 6-2 win over Wright and Fukutoku. The pair improves to 6-2 in SEC doubles competition with the win.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols head to Fayetteville, Ark. for a Sunday match against the No. 40 Arkansas Razorbacks. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
QUOTES
Junior Johanna Silva
"Today was a very successful day. We came out strong and took care of business and were able to overcome all the hurdles mentally with great energy and focus. I'm looking forward to competing against Arkansas and getting the guac."
Freshman Rebeka Mertena
"I think everybody did a great job today. We competed well, executed, and accomplished what we set out to do. We're looking forward to taking on Arkansas next!"
Assistant Coach Euan McIntosh
"Today was a great team performance from the first ball. We came flying out the gates on court one during doubles and that set the tone for the rest of the team to follow and we never looked back. The girls have a taste for winning and they don't want to give that up, which makes them very dangerous! I'm very excited to get back on the court versus Arkansas on Sunday."
RESULTS
No. 17 Tennessee 4, Missouri 1
Singles
1️. #65 Sadie Hammond (UT) vs. #124 Mackenzy Middlebrooks (UM), 3-6, 6-1, 0-1, unfinished
2. Kaitlin Staines (UT) def. Serena Nash (UM), 6-0, 6-2
3️. Johanna Silva (UT) def. Ellie Wright (UM), 7-6 (4), 6-0
4️. Rebeka Mertena (UT) def. Lisa Fukutoku (UM), 6-3, 6-2
5️. Tenika McGiffin (UT) vs. Marta Oliveira (UM), 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
6️. Vivien Abraham (UM) def. Maia Haumuller (UT), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
1️. #16 Hammond/Staines (UT) def. Wright/Fukutoku (UM), 6-2
2️. Haumuller/McGiffin (UT) vs. Oliveira/Middlebrooks (UM), 6-5, unfinished
3️. Mertena/Silva (UT) def. Goldin/Nash (UM), 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3); Singles (2, 4, 6, 3)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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