Mobile, AL – The 19
th-ranked UC women's tennis team recorded the first four points en route to a 6-3 win over the 14
th-seed University of Mobile Tuesday afternoon at the Mobile Tennis Center. With the win the Patriots advance to the second round of the NAIA National Championships and improve to 11-7 on the season, while the Rams move to 9-8 on the season.
The Patriots struck first as
Grace Steely and
Tessa Gray notched an 8-2 win at #2 doubles to give UC a 1-0 lead.
Mikaela Fros and
Sydney White extended their win streak to nine straight matches with an 8-3 win at #3 doubles. At #1 doubles, 15
th-ranked
Jaclyn Jewell and
Tomomi Nagao defeated Emily Chang and Sina Marchione, ranked 22
nd in the NAIA, 8-6 to give Cumberlands a 3-0 lead.
UC's strong play continued in singles play as Fros posted a 6-0, 6-1 win at #2 singles to extend the Patriots lead to 4-0. Mobile rallied with back-to-back wins at #3 and #4 singles to cut the lead to 4-2. Nagao, who is ranked 26
th in the NAIA, knocked off 13
th-ranked Emily Chang 6-3, 6-1 at #1 singles to clinch the match for the Patriots. With the win Nagao improves to 12-3 on the season and extends her win streak to four straight.
Mobile posted a straight set win at #5 singles, before Gray defeated Claire Travis 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) at #6 singles for the 6-3 final. Gray improves to 12-3 on the year and extends her win streak to a team-high nine straight.
The duo of Jewell and Nagao are now 12-4 on the season, while Gray and Steely improve to 10-6.
UC advances to the second round to face third-seed Xavier Wednesday, May 15, at 2 p.m.
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