Tag: tennis

Lady Vols’ doubles team eliminated in NCAA semifinals

Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase are eliminated in the NCAA Doubles semifinals.

Tennessee’s doubles team of Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase saw its 2024 season come to an end in the semifinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships on Friday.

Cabezas and Tomase lost to the Pepperdine’s Savannah Broadus and Janice Tjen in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Waves’ tandem is the nation’s top-ranked doubles team. Tennessee’s duo entered the match ranked No. 11 in the nation. Cabezas and Tomase won three matches in Stillwater, but fell one match short of reaching the championship. The duo closes the campaign with a 16-8 record and posted six victories against ranked opponents.

The team clinched ITA All-American status by reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Cabezas and Tomase were the first Lady Vols’ doubles team to reach the semifinals since 2013. They are Tennessee’s first doubles tandem to reach the semifinals under head coach Alison Ojeda.

Lady Vols’ doubles team advances to NCAA doubles championship semifinals

Tennessee women’s doubles team advances to national semifinals.

Tennessee’s Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase advanced to the NCAA doubles championship semifinals on Thursday.

No. 11 Tennessee defeated No. 7 Mia Kupres and Mary Stoiana of Texas A&M in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in the national quarterfinals at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Cabezas and Tomase captured 30 of 56 points in the opening set and earned 20 of 31 service points.

Cabezas and Tomase won on 70 percent of their first serves and captured 75 percent of break points in the second set.

The doubles team became the sixth tandem to reach the national semifinals. Cabezas and Tomase are Tennessee’s first doubles team to reach the semifinals under head coach Alison Ojeda.

Lady Vols’ doubles team advances to Elite Eight

Tennessee’s Sofia Cabezas and Elsa Tomase advance to national quarterfinals.

Tennessee’s women’s doubles team of Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Doubles Championship.

Cabezas and Tomase defeated North Carolina State’s tandem of Amelia Rajecki and Maddy Samprado, 1-6, 6-1, 11-9, at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Lady Vols’ doubles team also achieves All-America status, becoming the 12th duo in Tennessee history to accomplish the feat. Cabezas and Tomase are the nation’s No. 11 doubles team and are the fifth Tennessee doubles team to make the national quarterfinals.

Cabezas and Tomase have recorded 14 wins as a doubles team this season. The team has also posted six wins over the nation’s top doubles team.

After losing the first set, Cabezas and Tomase won 26 of 34 points during the second set. The team also missed two first-serve points.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Lady Vols hire Elizabeth Scotty as assistant coach

Tennessee announces the hiring of Elizabeth Scotty as assistant coach.

Tennessee announced the hiring of women’s tennis assistant coach Elizabeth Scotty on Wednesday.

Scotty played at North Carolina from 2019-24.

“Elizabeth Scotty is arguably one of the best to ever play at North Carolina,” North Carolina head coach Brian Kalbas said. “She has won eight national championships during her tenure at UNC. However, what separates her from anyone else is that she is a much better person than a tennis player. She is a great student of the game and has an incredible tennis IQ. She will be a natural as a coach. Alison and Tennessee are so fortunate to have her on their staff. We are so happy for Scotty to be in the coaching profession and wish her all the best.”

Lady Vols’ tennis head coach Alison Ojeda also discussed the addition of Scotty.

“I have a great amount of respect for Brian Kalbas and his teams,” Ojeda said. “When he called about Scotty, I was thrilled. She is going to bring a wealth of experience with her as she becomes a Lady Vol!”

Alison Ojeda. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Lady Vols’ doubles team advances to Sweet 16

Tennessee’s Sofia Cabeza and Elza Tomase advance to the Sweet 16.

Tennessee’s doubles team of Sophia Cabezas and Elza Tomase advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women’s Doubles Championships on Tuesday at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Lady Vols defeated Virginia’s duo of Elaine Chervinsky and Melodie Collard, 6-2, 6-2, in a first-round match.

Cabezas and Tomase won the first set after losing the first game. They won six of the next seven games.

In the second set, Tennessee recorded 30 of 49 points and converted 21-of-26 serve attempts.

Cabezas and Tomase held Virginia to a .550 service percentage.

Tennessee will next play North Carolina State’s Amelia Rajecki and Maddy Zampardo on Wednesday.

Shunsuke Mitsui advances to round of 16 in NCAA singles championship

Tennessee’s Shunsuke Mitsui advances to the round of 16 in the NCAA singles championship.

Tennessee junior Shunsuke Mitsui advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Singles Championships on Tuesday at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Mitsui defeated Wake Forest’s Filippo Moroni in three sets. 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-4. Moroni entered the match ranked No. 25 in the nation.

Mitsui, a native of Shizuoka, Japan, will next play JJ Tracy of Ohio State in a third-round match. Tracy is ranked No. 19 in the nation.

First serve is slated noon EDT.

In men’s doubles, Tennessee’s team of Johannus Monday and Angel Diaz retired in its match against Florida State’s Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc and Joshua Dous Karpenchif in the round of 32.

Vanesa Suarez signs with Lady Vols

The Lady Vols announced the signing of Kansas State transfer Vanesa Suarez on Monday.

Tennessee announced the addition of Vanesa Suarez to the Lady Vols’ tennis program on Monday.

“We are very excited to add Vanesa to our team,” Tennessee tennis head coach Alison Ojeda said. “She will bring some experience to our program and most importantly, she fits the culture we work hard for.”

Suarez transferred to Tennessee from Kansas State. She played for the Wildcats from 2022-24 and will have two years of eligibility remaining at Tennessee. Suarez is from Valencia, Venezuela.

“We are very excited,” Tennessee associate head coach Matias Marin said. “Vanesa has experience and is the right fit for our culture and team. She will continue to help us elevate our program even higher.”

The Lady Vols advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final Four in 2024.

Alison Ojeda. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Texas A&M eliminates Lady Vols in Final Four

Texas A&M tennis defeats the Lady Vols in the Final Four.

Texas A&M (27-7) defeated Tennessee (22-8), 4-1, on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament Final Four. The match was contested at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Tennessee-Texas A&M tennis results:

Doubles

1 #7 Mia Kupres and Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. #11 Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-2
2 Carson Branstine and Lucciana Perez (TAMU) def. Esther Adeshina and Alana Wolfberg (TENN) 6-1
3 Nicole Khirin and Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) vs. Lauren Anzalotta and Catherine Aulia (TENN) match was unfinished 4-4

Order of finish: (2,1)

Singles

1 #1 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. #14 Sofia Cabezas (TENN) 6-1 6-2
2 #88 Carson Branstine (TAMU) def. Elza Tomase (TENN) 7-5 6-2
3 #26 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) def. Alana Wolfberg (TENN) 5-7 6-0 6-3
4 #45 Mia Kupres (TAMU) vs. Catherine Aulia (TENN)
match was unfinished 7-6 (7-4) 5-6
5 Lucciana Perez (TAMU) vs. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN)
match was unfinished 4-6 6-2 2-2
6 Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) 6-3 6-4

Order of finish: (1,2,6,3)

Lady Vols advance to Final Four for first time since 2002

Tennessee tennis advances to the NCAA Tournament Final Four for the first time since 2002.

No. 16 seed Tennessee defeated No. 8 seed UCLA, 4-3, in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Friday. The match was contested at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Tennessee advances to the Final Four for the first time since 2002. The Lady Vols are also the lowest seed to advance to the Final Four since a 64-team format was implemented in 1999.

“I’m so incredibly happy and proud,” Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda said. “We have said for this entire year that there is just something really special about this group. Not only are they good, but they have this togetherness that allows them to elevate each other’s performance. That’s what you guys saw tonight from start to finish. I couldn’t be more excited for these guys.”

Tennessee will next play No. 13 seed Texas A&M on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EDT in the Final Four.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Texas eliminates Tennessee in NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

Tennessee tennis is eliminated by Texas in the NCAA Tournament.

No. 2 seed Texas defeated No. 7 seed Tennessee, 4-2, on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. The match was contested at Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Tennessee-Texas tennis results:

Doubles

1. #26 Eliot Spizzirri/Siem Woldeab (TEX) def. #6 Angel Diaz and Johannus Monday, 6-3
2. #77 Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka (TENN) def. Micah Braswell and Eshan Talluri (TEX), 6-3
3. Lucas Brown and Cleeve Harper (TEX) def. Filip Apltauer and Younes Lalami (TENN), 6-3

Order of finish: 1,2,3

Singles

1. #2 Eliot Spizzirri (TEX) def. #1 Johannus Monday (TENN), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. #5 Micah Braswell (TEX) def. #37 Shunsuke Mitsui (TENN), 6-3, 7-5
3. #40 Gilles-Arnaud Bailly (TEX) def. Filip Pieczonka (TENN), 6-2, 6-3
4. Angel Diaz (TENN) def. Siem Woldeab (TEX), 6-1, 6-4
5. Filip Apltauer (TENN) def. #56 Jonah Braswell (TEX), 7-6(5), 6-1
6. Younes Lalami (TENN) vs. Cleeve Harper (TEX), 7-5, 1-6, 6-6 (3-3), unf.

Order of finish: 4,3,2,5,1