#20 Tennessee Sweeps Bellarmine in Sunday Doubleheader

Sunday, February 20

Knoxville, TN

11 AM

University of Tennessee

Bellarmine

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2021.10.28 - Tennessee Fall Invitational vs. Wake Forest

#20 Tennessee Sweeps Bellarmine in Sunday Doubleheader

February 20, 2022 | Women's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Match 1 - Box Score Match 2 - Box Score

KNOXVILLE – Dominating both matches, and playing its first contest outside in 2022 in the second match of the doubleheader, the 20^th-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team defeated Bellarmine, 4-0 and 7-0, Sunday at Goodfriend Tennis Center and Barksdale Stadium.

"Overall, the goal today was to come out and manage ourselves professionally, and I think that is exactly what we did," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We took care of the things we could control on our end: high first serve percentages, good returns in the court and we hustled and we stayed focused. I'm glad that we we're able to get on and off the court and now we can focus on recovery and getting ready for SEC play in two weeks."

The Lady Vols (6-2) got great performances all around, but Esther Adeshina and Kylie Duckworth both stood out for the Big Orange, each winning two doubles matches and a singles match. Officially, Duckworth added a second singles win, victorious by forfeit in the first match, after the Knights only had five available student-athletes.

Adeshina played her first doubles match with Daria Kuczer, a partner she is well familiar with and had great success with last year. The two won at No. 1 in the morning match, 6-0. Adeshina was up 6-1, 2-1 in singles over Madison Devillez when Tennessee clinched.

As the afternoon finale kicked off, Adeshina teamed up with Duckworth, clinching the doubles point with a 6-0 win on court two. The sophomore from England stayed on court two for singles, facing Rose Pastoret and clinching the match with another strong performance, 6-0, 6-0. In both of her matches that finished this week, Adeshina only lost one game.

Duckworth got the win in doubles during the morning match, playing with Olivia Symons in Symons first career dual match and first match overall since Oct. 30, 2021. The two downed Channing Varnum and Maja Kozerski on court two, 6-1. After her second doubles victory of the day with Adeshina, Duckworth took court six and dominated, 6-0, 6-0, for her first dual win since the 2019 spring season.

"I thought doubles was an opportunity for me to get out on the right foot and be disciplined with how I was playing," Duckworth said. "I put a lot of first serves in, a lot of returns in play. It was important to start that way, especially when you are transitioning from indoors to outdoors. It's a different style of play and it's a different timing."

"Having that doubles success helped me feel free with my feet and just embrace playing outside on this beautiful day," Duckworth finished.

Callie Creath also had a great day for the Lady Vols, winning her only match played in convincing 6-0, 6-0 fashion on court five in the morning match. She was also credited with two doubles wins out of the No. 3 spot and a singles victory at No. 6 in the second match – all of those were by forfeit.

Tenika McGiffin recorded a pair of victories in the No. 1 spot. The 41^st-ranked singles player in the country was in a rhythm all day, winning her first bout 6-1, 6-0. She finished off the day with the final singles victory in the second match, 6-1, 6-1 over Devillez.

As Tennessee played out the second match against the Knights, Daria Kuczer nabbed a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Varnum and Eleonora Molinaro secured her ninth singles victory in a row, defeating Kozerski, 6-1, 6-1 on court three.

Full results from both matches today can be found below.

UP NEXT
The Lady Vols have next weekend off as they prepare for the start of Southeastern Conference play. Tennessee faces Mississippi State on March 4, at Barksdale Stadium or Goodfriend Tennis Center (weather depending). Tennessee will play two SEC contests that weekend as UT hosts Ole Miss on Sunday, March 6. Both matches are slated to begin at noon.

CALLIE CASHING IN
Junior Callie Creath has now won 10 dual matches in singles after her two victories today. She is undefeated playing in doubles, holding a record of 7-0.

ESTHER MOVING UP!
Esther Adeshina played both singles matches at the No. 2 spot today, her highest position in the singles order as a Lady Vol.

With a pair of doubles wins, Adeshina now holds 20 victories in doubles dual matches. She has also eclipsed the 30-win mark in her career playing doubles.

70 FOR TENIKA
Tenika McGiffin has now won 70 matches in her singles career with a pair of wins at the No. 1 spot.

#20 Tennessee 4, Bellarmine 0 (Match 1)

Singles

1. #41 Tenika McGiffin (TENN) def. Rose Pastoret (BELL) 6-1, 6-0
2. Esther Adeshina (TENN) vs. Madison Devillez (BELL) 6-1, 2-1, unfinished
3. Daria Kuczer (TENN) vs. Maja Kozerski (BELL) 6-0, 5-0, unfinished
4. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) vs. Channing Varnum (BELL) 6-1, 3-1, unfinished
5. Callie Creath (TENN) def. Laurie Hargis (BELL) 6-0, 6-0
6. Kylie Duckworth (TENN) def. No player (BELL), by forfeit

Order of Finish: 6,1,5

Doubles

1. Daria Kuczer/Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Rose Pastoret/Madison Devillez (BELL) 6-0
2. Olivia Symons/Kylie Duckworth (TENN) def. Channing Varnum/Maja Kozerski (BELL) 6-1
3. Callie Creath/Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. No player/No player (BELL), by forfeit
Order of Finish: 3,1,2

#20 Tennessee 7, Bellarmine 0 (Match 2)

Singles
1. #41 Tenika McGiffin (TENN) def. Madison Devillez (BELL) 6-1, 6-1
2. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Rose Pastoret (BELL) 6-0, 6-0
3. Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. Maja Kozerski (BELL) 6-1, 6-1
4. Daria Kuczer (TENN) def. Channing Varnum (BELL) 6-0, 6-1
5. Kylie Duckworth (TENN) def. Laurie Hargis (BELL) 6-0, 6-0
6. Callie Creath (TENN) def. No player (BELL), by forfeit

Order of Finish: 6,5,2,4,3,1

Doubles
1. #36 Tenika McGiffin/Olivia Symons (TENN) vs. Rose Pastoret/Madison Devillez (BELL) 4-1, unfinished
2. Kylie Duckworth/Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Channing Varnum/Maja Kozerski (BELL) 6-0
3. Callie Creath/Eleonora Molinaro (TENN) def. No player/No player (BELL), by forfeit

Order of Finish: 3,2