Wake Forest University
#18 Tennessee
Wake Forest to Begin Match Play with Double Header Against Tennessee and Bellarmine
1/20/2024 9:46:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Action is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. against the Volunteers.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Following a successful outing at the Carolina Kickoff, the Wake Forest women's tennis team is set to open match play this weekend, as they head to Knoxville, Tenn. for a double header against Tennessee and Bellarmine inside Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Action will begin at 9:30 a.m., as the Demon Deacons take on the Volunteers in a rematch of last year's second-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament. The match against Bellarmine is slated to begin at 4 p.m.
Last Spring, the Deacs finished with an 18-14 record (5-8 ACC), including seven wins over nationally-ranked programs. The team booked a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the seventh-consecutive season and 22nd in program history.
Admission to the event is free and will also be live streamed on Playsight. Live results will be updated here.
Schedule
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Sunday (Jan. 21)
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9:30 a.m. - Tennessee
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4 p.m. - Bellarmine
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Series History
Versus Tennessee
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Series: Tennessee leads, 18-16
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Last Time: May. 6, 2023
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Result: L, 1-4
Versus Bellarmine
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Series: First Meeting
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Last Time: N/A
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Result: N/A
Scouting the Opposition
Last season, the Tennesee Volunteers went 11-2 in SEC play, the highest SEC win total in program history, as Alison Ojeda was named SEC Co-Head Coach of the Year. So far this season, the Volunteers are off to a 2-0 start with a pair of 7-0 wins over Furman and Chattanooga last weekend.
Tennessee has four players ranked in singles with Alana Wolfberg (No. 91), Sofia Cabezas (No. 92), Eleonora Molinaro (No. 100) and Elza Tomase (No. 115). In doubles, Esther Adeshina/Sofia Cabezas lead the way at No. 19, with Alana Wolfberg and Aulia checking in at No. 42.
Bellarmine enters the weekend following a 2-5 defeat at Indiana in its season opener. Yeva Kramarova and Nikola Kollaritsch each picked up wins in fifth and sixth singles, respectively.
Last Time Out
The Deacs opened the Carolina Kickoff with three doubles wins on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 13). Senior Casie Wooten and sophomore Krystal Blanch won a close, 7-6(5) match over Hamner/Biran of South Carolina. Sophomore Whitley Pate and freshman Sankavi Gownder handled another South Carolina pair of Malkin/Kantor, 6-1, before senior Mia Ahmad and sophomore Nevena Carton defeated Martin/Reynoldson of Wisconsin, 6-4.
On Sunday (Jan. 14), Ahmad picked up her second doubles win of the weekend, this time with sophomore Jingy Li, as the pair beat Martin/Garcia Gross, 7-6(5).
The duo of Pate/Gownder closed out doubles action on Monday (Jan. 15) with a 6-4 win over Auburn's Espsito Cogan/DeSpain.
In singles, Wooten grabbed her 13th and 14th wins over ranked opponents in her career. On Saturday, she took down No. 67 Maria Sholokhova of Wisconsin, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. She followed that win up with another comeback victory on Sunday, this time over No. 34 DJ Bennett of Auburn, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Carton notched her first-career victory over a ranked opponent on Monday, as she took down No. 76 Shahar Biran of South Carolina, 6-4, 6-2. Li followed that up with a 7-5, 6-1 win over South Carolina's Anna Kantor.
Up Next
Following Sunday's action, the Deacs will head to Gainesville, Fla. for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Action will begin on Saturday (Jan. 27) against San Diego.
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