FIRST NEUTRAL MATCH OF 2022 ENDS IN 4-3 DEFEAT FOR UTM VS. CARSON-NEWMAN

Saturday, February 19

Knoxville, Tenn.

3 p.m.

UT Martin

Carson-Newman

FIRST NEUTRAL MATCH OF 2022 ENDS IN 4-3 DEFEAT FOR UTM VS. CARSON-NEWMAN

2/19/2022 10:09:00 PM | Tennis

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MARTIN, Tenn. – Competing until the final point in the second match over the past two weeks to land in a 4-3 decision, the University of Tennessee at Martin tennis team ventured to Knoxville on Saturday afternoon to face NCAA Division II member Carson-Newman on a neutral court, falling to the Eagles when all was said and done at the conclusion of a back-and-forth singles affair.

Unable to pick up a victory in six attempts to begin the 2022 spring semester, the Skyhawks again started strong in doubles competition in the form of a two-on-two win, but then later saw that progress negated by consecutive C-N victories over the teams of Sina Albersmeier/Jule Streif and Lia Espinal/Ariadna Ondo.

Mizuki Sakurai and Jillian Niedzialowski scooped up the team's fourth doubles win of the young season over the tandem of Summer Reeves and Ana Carla Resende, gaining a 6-3 nod to get the day started on the right foot.

Once Carson-Newman steadily battled back and eked out consecutive wins on the doubles side, the pressure quickly shifted to the Skyhawks in one-on-one mode, now in the comeback mindset. Albersmeier, Espinal, and Aziza Aubin were able to answer the bell with individual wins, but the Eagles managed to best their mark by a single set to escape the neutral venue at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club with the upset W.

Both Albersmeier and Aubin nabbed impressive feats of completing a 2-1 victory after losing the opening rally, as the former defeated Violetta Khisamova 12-6 post-set-1 and the latter knocked off Hannah Price 12-5 after a 6-0 final in the first set's opposite direction. Espinal was able to vanquish Natasha Forrest 6-3 and 6-1 for the freshman's third one-on-one triumph of the year to this point.

When gazing back at the past 24 months, the Skyhawks have drifted to the losing end of 22 straight non-conference matchups since a win over Alabama A&M in February 2020, seeing 75% of the team's eight-match road streak come and go in the process.

Trips to Saint Louis and Chicago State await UT Martin six and seven days from now, meeting the Billikens first on Friday, Feb. 25^th at 6:00 PM in Missouri. Once the ensuing afternoon's dual with Chicago State has passed, the Skyhawks can finally look forward to a pair of home matches in non-conference territory, facing Missouri State and Chattanooga in their own backyard.