McKenzie, TN - The eighth-ranked Patriots women's tennis team swept singles play to win their conference opener 6-1 over Bethel on Friday Afternoon. With the win. UC moves to 1-0 against the MSC and 6-1 overall.
 
Doubles play began with the Patriots in the lead, as the #1 duo of Meiri Okuwaki and Mikaela Fros took the match 6-1. At #3 doubles  Edisa Hot and Sofija Rajic began by scoring three straight points, before Johanna Beckmann and Tessa Gray rallied to even the score 3-3. Following this, Hot and Rajic took the final three points of the match to even the doubles at one match apiece.  The Wildcats claimed the doubles point after 7-6 win at #2 doubles to give Bethel a 1-0 lead.
 
In singles play, Fan Shiau blanked Rajic at #4 singles, 6-0, 6-0 to even the score at 1-1. Marina Nagai extended the lead to 2-1 as she defeated Vasconcellos at #3 singles without dropping a single point over the two sets.
 
Following this, Fros won her match at the #6 singles spot in three sets to extend the Pats lead to 3-1. Fros took the first set 6-4, before Svitlica evened the score in the second to force a decisive third, in which Fros took 6-3.
 
Okuwaki clinched the match for UC by taking down the #1 singles player for Bethel, Edisa Hot. The UC sophomore took the first set 6-1, before Hot rallied to take the second set 7-5 forcing a tie breaker. The players traded points until Okuwaki pulled away to take the set 6-3 and clinch the match as Cumberlands took a 4-1 advantage.
 
The Patriots continued to pour it on from there winning both of the final matchups of the day to earn their first win of the weekend. After Laura Prieto took the first set at the #2 singles spot, Svitlica evened the score by taking the second set 6-4 forcing a decisive third, in which Prieto took 6-3.
 
Catherine Rae played at #5 singles, where she defeated Zotelli in three sets. Rae took the first set with ease as she did not drop a single point before Zotelli rallied to take the second set 6-4, forcing a tiebreaker. After an exchange of points, Rae came out victorious as she claimed the set 12-10 to complete the 6-1 final
 
Cumberlands will be back to the courts tomorrow, March 11th, as they head to Freed-Hardeman at 11:00 am.
 
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