News Summary
The Tennessee women’s tennis team, ranked 10th nationally, is set to compete in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Team Championship Super Regional against 7th-seeded Virginia. With a season record of 19 wins and 7 losses, Tennessee has shown impressive performance with dominant victories in previous rounds. Key players include junior Leyla Britez Risso and freshman Saray Yli-Piipari, who have contributed significantly to the team’s success. This appearance marks the 12th time Tennessee has reached this stage, reflecting the program’s growth and competitiveness.
Tennessee – The Tennessee women’s tennis team, currently ranked 10th in the nation, is set to compete in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Team Championship Super Regional for the third consecutive year. The Lady Volunteers will face off against the 7th-seeded Virginia this Friday at 4 p.m. at the Virginia Tennis Complex.
With a strong season record of 19 wins and 7 losses, including 10 victories and 5 defeats in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Tennessee has made a formidable mark this year. Their swift path to the Super Regional included dominating wins, achieving consecutive sweeps against Elon and No. 26 Pepperdine in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament.
During the postseason, Tennessee has showcased a remarkable defensive capability, recording 24 shutouts and achieving 43 NCAA tournament victories overall. This includes 12 wins that have occurred during the tenure of head coach Alison Ojeda, who is celebrating her ninth season with the team. Under her leadership, this is the first time since 2002-2004 that the program has reached the Super Regional stage for three years in a row.
Among the standout performers on the team is junior Leyla Britez Risso, who has delivered an exceptional performance throughout the NCAA tournament. Britez Risso has won all her matches in both singles and doubles, helping propel the team forward. In the opening round against Elon, she, along with her teammate Catherine Aulia, secured a 6-1 victory in doubles, while Britez Risso dominated her singles match with a score of 6-1, 6-4. The second round against Pepperdine saw her team once again shine, as Britez Risso and Aulia won decisively with a 6-0 doubles score, and she clinched the match with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 singles victory.
Freshman Saray Yli-Piipari has also stood out during the tournament, earning wins in singles matches against both Elon and Pepperdine, in addition to her doubles victories alongside Elza Tomase. Together, these players have contributed significantly to Tennessee’s season total of 14 wins against ranked opponents, which includes notable victories over teams like No. 15 Ohio State and No. 4 Stanford.
The upcoming match against Virginia will serve as a rematch; earlier this season, Virginia won 4-2 during the ITA Indoor Round of 16 on February 7. Historically, the all-time series between the Lady Vols and Virginia is evenly matched, with each team claiming seven wins.
Fans can attend the match free of charge, and for those unable to make it in person, a live stream will be available on Playsight.
This appearance in the Super Regional marks the 12th time Tennessee has reached this stage, highlighting the program’s continued growth and competitiveness on the national stage.
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