Bowling Green, KY – After a solid 2022-23 campaign, the Patriots women's tennis team opened the new season with a victory in their first regular-season match. UC defeated Cumberland University 5-2 in the MSC Fall Invite on Friday.

Ching Jung Shen and Jirachavala Puckaporn opened doubles play strong, blanking Valentina Mendez and Madeleine Darud 6-0 at #3 doubles. Marina Nagai and Fan Shiau followed that up with a 6-1 victory over Elina Sungatullina and Lara Zugasti at #2 doubles to grab the doubles point for the Patriots.

Cumberlands earned four wins in singles to secure the overall win.

Nagai opened singles with a solid 6-2, 6-0 win over Sungatullina at #1 singles. Shiau followed that up with a strong 6-0, 6-2 win over Juanita Mendez at #3 singles.

After dropping the next two sets, the Pats rallied in the final two sets to preserve the victory.

Liu YuFang bounced back after losing her first set to defeat Madeleine Darud 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 at #5 singles. Eva Cancarevic earned the final win of the day for the Pats, defeating Zugasti 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 at #4 singles.

Cumberlands advances to the finals of the MSC Fall Invite for the third year in a row where they will face the winner of Lindsey Wilson and Campbellsville on Saturday.

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