Bowling Green, KY  - The top-seed UC women's tennis team defeated the Cumberland Phoenix 6-1 to capture their first Mid-South Conference Fall Tournament crown on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Patriots move to 2-0 on the season.
 
After winning two of the three doubles matches, the Patriots took a 1-0 lead early. The Phoenix took #1 doubles to gain the advantage, however, the Patriots rallied at  #2 doubles.  The tandem of Fan Shiau and Marina Nagai defeated Jessica Hernandez and Lara Zugasti 7-5 to even it up. The decisive doubles match at #3 saw a back and forth battle between the two teams. UC's Catherine Rae and Laura Prieto traded points with Marina Arbelaez and Valentina Mendez until the match was tied at 6-6 forcing a tie-breaker.  The duo of Prieto and Rae won the tiebreaked 7-4 and the match 7-6 to clinch the doubles point and put UC in front 1-0. 
 
In singles play, Fan Shiau earned the first win at #6 singles. The sophomore beat Mendez in two straight sets 6-1, 6-0 to extend the Patriots lead to 2-0. Another point was added to UC by Prieto with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Zugasti at #4 singles, before Rae clinched the match for UC with a 6-1, 6-2 win at #5 singles. 
 
With the match in hand the Patriots played out the final three singles matches.  Okuwaki squared up against Jessica Hernandez at #1 singles and took the first set 6-4.  After Hernandez won the second 3-6, Okuwaki rallied in the third set with a 10-8 win to extend the lead 5-0.
 
Cumberland's got on the board with a win at #2 singles before Marina Nagai closed it out for the Patriots in straight sets 6-4,7-5 at #3 singles for the 6-1 final.
 
The Pats will be back on the court next weekend as Meiri Okuwaki competes at the ITA Oracle Cup in Rome, GA.
 
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