SKYHAWK TENNIS NOTCHES IMPRESSIVE WINS AT SEASON-OPENING APSU FALL INVITATIONAL

Friday, September 14

Clarksville, Tenn.

UT Martin

APSU Fall Invitational

Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information

SKYHAWK TENNIS NOTCHES IMPRESSIVE WINS AT SEASON-OPENING APSU FALL INVITATIONAL

9/16/2018 8:26:00 PM | Tennis

Results PDF

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin tennis squad began its fall campaign this weekend at the APSU Fall Invitational, dialing up 12 combined victories in a showdown between seven of the region's top universities.

Seven different Skyhawks posted at least one victory over the weekend as UT Martin collected eight singles wins and four doubles wins. The Skyhawks were joined in the tournament field by host Austin Peay, Belmont, Central Arkansas, Chattanooga, Murray State and Southeast Missouri.

Andrea Plantada and Daphne Pratt led the way with a pair of singles wins apiece. Competing in the Flight A bracket, Plantada defeated Amina Hadzic from Murray State by a 7-6, 1-6, 10-7 margin while also downing Chattanooga's Delaney Edwards by scores of 7-5, 1-0. Making her collegiate debut, Pratt turned away Belmont's Terra Sheldon (7-6, 6-3) and Yada Vasupongchai of Central Arkansas (8-4) while taking part in the Flight B bracket.

Asel Jumamukhambetova, Jemima Potter, Mizuki Sakurai and Jule Streif also pieced together victories in singles play. Jumamukhambetova made short work of Southeast Missouri's Manuela Barriga (6-0, 6-3) in Flight A competition while Potter boasted a convincing 8-0 sweep of Central Arkansas' QiLi Ma as part of the Flight A group. Both competing in the Flight B bracket, Sakurai (6-2, 6-0) and Streif (6-3, 6-4) each defeated Grace Powderly of Southeast Missouri.

The doubles tandem of Jumamukhambetova/Potter paced UT Martin with a 2-1 doubles record. Representing the Skyhawks in the Flight A ranks, the senior duo won 6-4 against Sheldon/Maria Plaksina from Belmont and again by a 6-2 margin against Marli Van Heerden/Chunxi Xin of Central Arkansas.

UT Martin also saw doubles wins via the teams of Amelia Campbell/Plantada (6-2 over Murray State's Jeanne Masson/Claire Chang in Flight A) and Pratt/Sakurai (6-2 over Kelly Sicha/Powderly from Southeast Missouri in Flight B).

"We had only six days of practice going into this tournament but we did much better than I expected," Skyhawk head coach Dennis Taylor said. "We won 12 matches against some really strong players. Daphne got her first taste of college tennis and played extremely well."

UT Martin will take next weekend off from official competition before hosting the Skyhawk Fall Invite on Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29.