Owensboro, KY – Cumberlands women's tennis, the defending MSC regular season champions, opened their season with a 6-1 win over Cumberland in their first matchup of the Mid-South Conference Fall Invite Friday night. UC advances to the finals of the MSC Fall Invite, set for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m., against the winner of Lindsey Wilson vs. Campbellsville.

In doubles play, Tomomi Nagao and Mikaela Fros got things started for the Patriots with a win as they grabbed the victory at #1 doubles over Jessica Hernandez and Maria Arbelaez 6-3. Meiri Okuwaki and Tessa Gray followed the Patriots' top tandem with a win of their own as they blanked Kaede Hatano and Lara Zugasti 6-0 to clinch the point for UC. At #3 doubles, Johanna Beckmann and Satsuki Mitani finished out the doubles matches with a 6-1 victory over Alexandra Leisbach and Carly Earnhardt to complete the doubles sweep.

In singles play, Nagao began competition at #1 singles for Cumberlands. Nagao was named to her third All-American team in 2020-21 and started her bid for a fourth late Friday night with the 6-4, 6-1 win over Hernandez, extending the lead to 2-0.

The Patriots extended their lead to 3-0 as Hana Shimeno took down Kaede Hatano by a final of 7-5, 6-1 at #3 doubles. The Phoenix cut into the lead with a three-set win at #2 singles, however, before Fros recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win over Lara Zugasti at #4 singles to clinch the match for UC and give them a 4-1 lead.

Beckmann and Catherine Rae closed out singles play with wins for the 6-1 final. Beckmann came out victorious at #5 singles with a 6-3, 6-0 over Carly Earnhardt while Rae posted a 6-1, 6-0 win over Alexandra Leisbach at #6 singles. With Rae's 6-0 win to close out Leisbach, the Patriot's back half of their singles lineup all had a set in which they did not drop a point, showing how deep of a team coach Chin Tan has at his disposal.

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