University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, February 19
Knoxville, TN
11 AM
University of Tennessee
4
vs
0
Indiana
#20 Lady Vols Roll Past Indiana, 4-0
February 19, 2022 | Women's Tennis
KNOXVILLE – Cruising through singles play on courts four, five and six, the 20th-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team beat Indiana, 4-0, Saturday afternoon at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
"Getting a little time off after going all of January was much needed," associate head coach Jarryd Chaplin said. "For the match today, I think we played okay. There was some good stuff, but I think, across the board, I'm not sure that everybody felt like they probably executed as well as they might have wanted to. It was pretty encouraging that, on court four, Esther Adeshina was doing what we've been talking about in practice and I am sure that will continue."
It was a dominating, 6-0, 6-1, performance for Esther Adeshina in singles on court four, breaking Mila Mejic six times and only losing one game during the match. She took control of individual games early and never gave the Hoosier junior a chance to play on the offensive, instead having to defend Adeshina's constant and pressing offensive play. This was especially true when Adeshina got to the net.
"I played pretty well today, I think I served really well," Adeshina said. "I got a lot of first serves in, and got a few cheap points off of it, so I was really happy with that. Returning wise, my goal was just to put every return in the court and I think I did that today. I tried to set the pace a lot, and tried to come in to make it difficult for her. I think I did the job well."
The Lady Vols (4-2) picked up the doubles point with strong wins on court 3 and court 1. The pair of Eleonora Molinaro and Rebeka Mertena, playing together for the first time since March 26, 2021 at Vanderbilt, were dominant on court 3, defeating Lexi Kubas and Rose Hu, 6-1.
After moving up to the No. 6 ranking, Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer proved worthy of their placement, grabbing their fourth ranked win as a tandem, defeating No. 27 Laura Masic and Lara Schneider, 6-3, after earning two breaks early in the set.
The first singles win of the day came from Callie Creath, making her dual debut this season on court six. The junior from Austin, Texas went back-and-forth in the first set with IU's Kubas. There was only one break in the set, had by the Hoosier Kubas in the final game, as she won the first set, 6-4. Kubas retired at the set break due to injury, giving Creath the victory.
The clinch came from one of Tennessee's most consistent performers in the early season, Molinaro, on court five. The sophomore only got one break in the first but, after starting with serve, that was all she needed, as she held serve on all five games serving, for a 6-3 set one victory. In the second, it was the same story, as Molinaro got a crucial break and served it out for a 6-4 second set win and a match clincher.
Full results from this afternoon's match can be found below.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will be back in action tomorrow to face Bellarmine in a doubleheader, with the first match scheduled for 11 a.m. and the second slated for 2:30 p.m. The contest marks the conclusion of non-conference play for the Big Orange.
HEAT CHECK
Eleonora Molinaro continued her win streak in singles, taking her eighth consecutive match, 6-3, 6-4.
COUNT UP FOUR
Although they have only been playing together since the beginning of January, Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer have four ranked doubles wins, the rest of the team has two.
BAD LUCK FOR THE HOOSIERS
Callie Creath has played two singles matches this season against players from Indiana, both of which the Hoosier player retired. The last came at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional in Murfreesboro, Tenn. on Oct. 24.
MATCH RESULTS
#20 Tennessee 4, Indiana 0
Singles
1. Tenika McGiffin (TENN) vs. Laura Masic (IU) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
2. Rebeka Mertena (TENN) vs. Lara Schneider (IU) 6-2, 2-5, unfinished
3. Daria Kuczer (TENN) vs. A. Staiculescu (IU) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished
4. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Mila Mejic (IU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Rose Hu (IU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Callie Creath (TENN) def. Lexi Kubas (IU) 4-6, retired
Order of Finish: 6,4,5
Doubles
1. #6 Tenika McGiffin/Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. #27 Laura Masic/Lara Schneider (IU) 6-3
2. Esther Adeshina/Kylie Duckworth (TENN) vs. A. Staiculescu/Mila Mejic (IU) 6-5, unfinished
3. Eleonora Molinaro/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Lexi Kubas/Rose Hu (IU) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,1
"Getting a little time off after going all of January was much needed," associate head coach Jarryd Chaplin said. "For the match today, I think we played okay. There was some good stuff, but I think, across the board, I'm not sure that everybody felt like they probably executed as well as they might have wanted to. It was pretty encouraging that, on court four, Esther Adeshina was doing what we've been talking about in practice and I am sure that will continue."
It was a dominating, 6-0, 6-1, performance for Esther Adeshina in singles on court four, breaking Mila Mejic six times and only losing one game during the match. She took control of individual games early and never gave the Hoosier junior a chance to play on the offensive, instead having to defend Adeshina's constant and pressing offensive play. This was especially true when Adeshina got to the net.
"I played pretty well today, I think I served really well," Adeshina said. "I got a lot of first serves in, and got a few cheap points off of it, so I was really happy with that. Returning wise, my goal was just to put every return in the court and I think I did that today. I tried to set the pace a lot, and tried to come in to make it difficult for her. I think I did the job well."
The Lady Vols (4-2) picked up the doubles point with strong wins on court 3 and court 1. The pair of Eleonora Molinaro and Rebeka Mertena, playing together for the first time since March 26, 2021 at Vanderbilt, were dominant on court 3, defeating Lexi Kubas and Rose Hu, 6-1.
After moving up to the No. 6 ranking, Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer proved worthy of their placement, grabbing their fourth ranked win as a tandem, defeating No. 27 Laura Masic and Lara Schneider, 6-3, after earning two breaks early in the set.
The first singles win of the day came from Callie Creath, making her dual debut this season on court six. The junior from Austin, Texas went back-and-forth in the first set with IU's Kubas. There was only one break in the set, had by the Hoosier Kubas in the final game, as she won the first set, 6-4. Kubas retired at the set break due to injury, giving Creath the victory.
The clinch came from one of Tennessee's most consistent performers in the early season, Molinaro, on court five. The sophomore only got one break in the first but, after starting with serve, that was all she needed, as she held serve on all five games serving, for a 6-3 set one victory. In the second, it was the same story, as Molinaro got a crucial break and served it out for a 6-4 second set win and a match clincher.
Full results from this afternoon's match can be found below.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will be back in action tomorrow to face Bellarmine in a doubleheader, with the first match scheduled for 11 a.m. and the second slated for 2:30 p.m. The contest marks the conclusion of non-conference play for the Big Orange.
HEAT CHECK
Eleonora Molinaro continued her win streak in singles, taking her eighth consecutive match, 6-3, 6-4.
COUNT UP FOUR
Although they have only been playing together since the beginning of January, Tenika McGiffin and Daria Kuczer have four ranked doubles wins, the rest of the team has two.
BAD LUCK FOR THE HOOSIERS
Callie Creath has played two singles matches this season against players from Indiana, both of which the Hoosier player retired. The last came at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional in Murfreesboro, Tenn. on Oct. 24.
MATCH RESULTS
#20 Tennessee 4, Indiana 0
Singles
1. Tenika McGiffin (TENN) vs. Laura Masic (IU) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
2. Rebeka Mertena (TENN) vs. Lara Schneider (IU) 6-2, 2-5, unfinished
3. Daria Kuczer (TENN) vs. A. Staiculescu (IU) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished
4. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Mila Mejic (IU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Rose Hu (IU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Callie Creath (TENN) def. Lexi Kubas (IU) 4-6, retired
Order of Finish: 6,4,5
Doubles
1. #6 Tenika McGiffin/Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. #27 Laura Masic/Lara Schneider (IU) 6-3
2. Esther Adeshina/Kylie Duckworth (TENN) vs. A. Staiculescu/Mila Mejic (IU) 6-5, unfinished
3. Eleonora Molinaro/Rebeka Mertena (TENN) def. Lexi Kubas/Rose Hu (IU) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,1
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
123
Laura Masic / 0 [IU]
520
73UF
#2 Singles Match
123
Lara Schneider / 0 [IU]
250
62UF
#3 Singles Match
123
A. Staiculescu / 0 [IU]
250
65UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Mila Mejic / 0 [IU]
01
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Rose Hu / 0 [IU]
34
66
#6 Singles Match
12
Lexi Kubas / 0 [IU]
60
4WR
Order of Finish:
6,4,5
Players Mentioned
/ 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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