#8 Tennis Slips Past #25 Tennessee Wesleyan
Athens, Tennessee- The #8 Brenau tennis team edged past #25 Tennessee Wesleyan University by a 4-3 margin in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup on Sunday.
In doubles play, the #1 pairing of Elyse Lavender and Peeraya Charoensirisutthikul cruised past Tennessee Wesleyan's Elisa Piquero and Helena Cabezas 6-0, however, at #3 singles, the Bulldogs' team of Honoka Tsuji and Ana Ossio defeated the Golden Tigers' Bianca Andersen and Evelin Gouveia 6-4 to even the match.
In the third doubles match, TWU's Natasha Mesa and Yvette Callaghan also defeated Juana Zambrano and Valentina Pabon, 6-4, to take a 2-1 lead into singles play.
In singles competition, Elyse Lavender dispatched Elisa Piquero 6-0, 6-0 at #1 singles to even the score 2-2, then at #6 singles, Bianca Anderson defeated Yvette Callaghan, 6-2, 6-1, to take a 3-2 lead.
After the teams split #2 and #3 singles matches, Brenau's Valentina Pabon clinched the match with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Maria Alejandra Nunez to seal the victory.
"This is was a lot closer than I was hoping for," said head coach Andre Ferreira. "Credit goes to Tennessee Wesleyan as they are an improved squad, solid in every spot and they showed up today ready to upset our team."
"Fortunately we had two veterans on the court and Valentina (Pabon) played a solid third set to give us the 4th point. It feels good to end up on the winning side, but this match hopefully will serve as a learning experience for our team this season."
Brenau (3-1 overall, 1-0 AAC) next takes on #7 Middle Georgia State (2-0 overall) in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday in Macon, Ga.
Brenau 4, TN Wesleyan 3
Singles:
S1: Elyse Lavender (BU) def. Elisa Piquero (TWU) 6-0, 6-0
S2: Juana Zambrano (BU) def. Ana Ossio (TWU) 6-2, 6-1
S3: Natasha Mesa (TWU) def. Peeraya Charoensirisutthikul (BU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
S4: Honoka Tsuji (TWU) def. Evelin Gouveia (BU) 6-4, 6-2
S5: Valentina Pabon (BU) def. Maria Alejandra Nunez (TWU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
S6: Bianca Andersen (BU) def. Yvette Callaghan (TWU) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles:
D1: Elyse Lavender / Peeraya Charoensirisutthikul (BU) def. Elisa Piquero / Helena Cabezas (TWU) 6-0
D2: Natasha Mesa / Yvette Callaghan (TWU) def. Juana Zambrano / Valentina Pabon (BU) 6-4
D3: Honoka Tsuji / Ana Ossio (TWU) def. Bianca Andersen / Evelin Gouveia (BU) 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3, 2*); Singles (1, 6, 4, 2, 3, 5*)