Women’s Tennis Central: Charlottesville Super Regional

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the third consecutive year, the 10th-ranked Tennessee women's tennis team is returning to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Team Championship. The Lady Volunteers will go head-to-head against seventh-seeded Virginia on Friday at the Virginia Tennis Complex with the first serve set for 4 p.m.

The No. 10-seeded Lady Vols (19-7, 10-5) surpassed both their first-round and second-round opponents in the NCAA tournament. The squad posted two consecutive sweeps against Elon and No. 26 Pepperdine. Tennessee now owns 24 shutouts in postseason play, including seven in the Alison Ojeda era.

In her ninth season as head coach, Ojeda has guided the Lady Vols to three consecutive Super Regionals, a first for the program since the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons. Overall, Tennessee owns 43 NCAA tournament wins, with 12 coming in the Ojeda era.

In the first and second rounds of NCAA play, junior Leyla Britez Risso was stellar, producing a perfect weekend in singles and doubles play. On Friday against Elon, Britez Risso notched a 6-1 victory alongside Catherine Aulia in doubles, before tallying a 6-1, 6-4 triumph versus Helen Sarikulaya. In the second round against No. 26 Pepperdine, Britez Risso and Aulia cruised to a 6-0 sweep over Liam Oved and Sebastianna Scilipotti. She closed the weekend by clinching the match against the Waves with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Alexia Harmon.

Freshman Saray Yli-Piipari also excelled, fending off two singles opponents and a doubles pair. Yli-Piipari added her first singles win against Elon's Madison Cordisco in 6-0, 6-1 fashion, followed by a 6-3, 6-1 ledger against Pepperdine's Liam Oved. In doubles, Yli-Piipari and Elza Tomase carded a 6-2 decision against Elon's Helen Sarikulaya and Lisa Kranec.

Tennessee owns 14 victories over ranked opponents, recording wins against No. 15 Ohio State, No. 15 Pepperdine, No.4 Stanford, No. 67 Kentucky, No. 71 Ole Miss, No. 25 South Carolina, No. 70 Arkansas, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 25 Alabama, No. 64 Mississippi State, No. 15 Texas, No. 34 Florida, No. 71 Missouri and No. 26 Pepperdine. Six of those results are against top-25 foes, including five over top-15 teams.

Live streaming of the action can be found on Playsight by clicking HERE. Live stats for the event can be located HERE. Admission to Friday's match is free of charge.

SCOUTING THE CAVILERS

Virginia (22-5, 10-2 ACC) enters Super Regionals coming off a phenomenal regular season and reaching the ACC tournament championship. Virginia hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, defeating Farleigh Dickinson and Illinois to advance to the Sweet 16.

The Lady Vols will face the Cavaliers for the second time this season, previously meeting Virginia in the ITA Indoor Round of 16, in which Virginia posted a 4-2 victory on Feb. 7. The all-time series is tied at seven apiece, with three of Tennessee's losses coming in Charlottesville.

SUPER REGIONAL HISTORY

Tennessee has earned a spot in a Super Regional 12 times, with 2025 marking the third straight year. The Lady Volunteers reached the NCAA Semifinals in 2024, defeating Murray State, No. 21 Duke, No. 1 Oklahoma State and No. 8 UCLA. This season also marks the third time the Lady Vols are headed to a Super Regional under the direction of head coach Alison Ojeda. It's the third time Tennessee has reached the round of 16 in back-to-back-to-back years since the 2004, 2003 and 2002 seasons.

A PEEK AT THE CHARTS: The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced on May 1 that the squad is No. 10 in the thirteenth poll of 2025. The following members of the team were ranked in the seventh spring ITA individual poll posted on May 1, 2025:

Singles

No. 7 Elza Tomase

No. 41 Catherine Aulia

No. 66 Leyla Britez Risso

Doubles

No. 30 Catherine Aulia & Leyla Britez Risso

No. 35 Elza Tomase & Maeve Thornton

No. 57 Elza Tomase & Elim Yan

No. 72 Elza Tomase & Catherine Aulia

No. 74 Elza Tomase & Saray Yli-Piipari

Virginia

Singles