Wake Forest University
Tennessee
Deacons Rally in Singles to Beat No. 62 Tennessee
1/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWTennis)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The 71st-ranked Wake Forest women's tennis team won four of six singles matches to come back from a 1-0 deficit and capture a 4-3 road victory against No. 62 Tennessee at the Goodfriend Indoor Tennis Center in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday.
The win for the Demon Deacons was their first over a ranked opponent since they defeated No. 37 LSU on Feb. 13, 2015 and was their first true road triumph over a top-75 foe since it downed No. 64 NC State in Raleigh on March 28, 2014.
The win gave the Deacs their second 3-0 start in dual-match play in the last three seasons. The match was the Lady Volunteers' season opener.
Tennessee got on the board first by claiming the doubles point. After the Vols won by a 6-1 score at No. 2, Sadie Hammond and Eve Repic sealed the doubles competition win by taking a 6-4 decision at the top spot.
No. 51-ranked Andrea Retolaza Andrade and Luisa Fernandez were leading, 5-4, at No. 3 when their match was halted.
Wake Forest got right back into the match in singles play when Joanna Zalewski cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 4 to knot the score. The Demon Deacons pulled ahead when fellow rookie Emma Davis won in straight sets at the second position, 6-3, 6-3.
The Volunteers briefly retied the score with a come-from-behind victory at No. 3 singles by Kim Kermet, but the Deacs got to four team points first when Samantha Asch erased a one-set deficit to win, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 5 and Kimmy Guerin claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 triumph at No. 1 against No. 60-ranked Hammond.
Brittany Lindl of Tennessee capped the day with a win at No. 6 over Fernandez, winning back-to-back sets that ended in tiebreakers.
Both Zalewski and Asch remained unbeaten in spring singles play, improving to 3-0. Guerin earned the second singles win of her junior season against a ranked opponent by topping Hammond. She also took down then-No. 26 Desirae Krawczyk of Arizona State in fall play.
Wake Forest resumes action next Saturday with a home doubleheader against Elon and Furman. The Deacs will then embark on a five-match road trip, beginning with a Feb. 6 meeting at VCU.
No. 71 Wake Forest 4, No. 62 Tennessee 3
Singles competition
1. Kimmy Guerin (WF) def. No. 60 Sadie Hammond (TENN) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
2. Emma Davis (WF) def. Eve Repic (TENN) 6-3, 6-3
3. Kim Kermet (TENN) def. Anna Ulyashchenko (WF) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. Joanna Zalewski (WF) def. Gabby Schuck (TENN) 6-3, 6-1
5. Samantha Asch (WF) def. Ashley Bongart (TENN) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Brittany Lindl (TENN) def. Luisa Fernandez (WF) 7-6 (3), 7-6 (9)
Doubles competition
1. Sadie Hammond/Eve Repic (TENN) def. Anna Ulyashchenko/Kimmy Guerin (WF) 6-4
2. Kim Kermet/Ashley Bongart (TENN) def. Emma Davis/Samantha Asch (WF) 6-1
3. Tiffany Tavares/Brittany Lindl (TENN) vs. No. 51 Andrea Retolaza/Luisa Fernandez (WF) 4-5, unfinished
Match Notes
Wake Forest (3-0); National ranking No. 71
Tennessee (0-1); National ranking No. 62
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,2,3,5,1,6)
Players Mentioned
