UTC Women Win Spring Tennis Opener Over Austin Peay

  • Monday, January 16, 2017
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's tennis team scored an impressive 6-1 win over regional rival Austin Peay at McCallie's Strang-Voges Tennis Center today.  The Mocs won the doubles point and five of six singles for Chad Camper's first dual victory as head coach of the women's program.

Senior Rachele Gazzola and junior Samantha Caswell turned in strong performances in singles in doubles to lead Chattanooga.  They opened with an impressive 6-0 shutout over Claudia and Lidia Garcia at No.
1 doubles. Caswell the won her No. 1 singles match with Lidia Garcia while Gazzola clinched the team victory with a second-set tie-breaker at No. 5. 

"It was a great win and I knew it was going to be a battle," added Camper.  "I know their team and they are really good.  I didn't think we were going to walk out of here with a 6-1 win, but we had some three-setters and gave it everything we had."

Sophomores Caroline Hall and Mckenzie Barco clinched the doubles point with a 6-1 win over Brittney Covington and Alessandra Maganuco at No. 3.  Sophomores Sydney Patton and Delaney Edwards closed out doubles with a 7-5 win against Helena Kuppig and Ana Albertson.   

"Samantha and Rachel winning doubles the way they did was huge," continued Camper.  "That team is very good and they did well at regionals.  I was surprised they weren't regionally ranked."

Barco put the Mocs up 2-0 with a quick (6-1, 6-4) match against Maganuco at No. 6.  Patton added to the lead with a (6-3, 6-3) win at No. 4, before APSU got on the board at No. 2

Despite leading 3-1, the match was still very much in doubt.  Caswell and Hall had both been pushed to a third set, while Gazzola was down 5-6 before forcing her tiebreaker in the second set. 

"I think Samantha showed great leadership in singles and Rachele has been through so much this year," stated Camper.  "She was injured in the fall and hasn't been able to train a lot, but she stuck to her strengths.  Overall, I thought it was a great win." 

UTC hits the road next weekend for a pair of matches in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday, Jan. 22.  The Mocs face Air Force at 10:00 a.m. (E.S.T.) and Tennessee at 5:30 p.m.  Check back to GoMocs.com for a full recap of all the action. 

Chattanooga 6, Austin Peay 1
Doubles competition
1. Samantha Caswell/Rachele Gazzola (UTC) def. Claudia Yanes Garcia/Lidia Yanes Garcia (APSU) - 6-0
2. Sydney Patton/Delaney Edwards (UTC) def. Helena Kuppig/Ana Albertson (APSU) - 7-5
3. Caroline Hall/Mckenzie Barco (UTC) def. Brittney Covington/Alessandra Maganuco (APSU) - 6-1

Singles competition
1. Samantha Caswell (UTC) def. Lidia Yanes Garcia (APSU) - 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
2. Claudia Yanes Garcia (APSU) def. Delaney Edwards (UTC) - 6-3, 6-1
3. Caroline Hall (UTC) def. Helena Kuppig (APSU) - 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
4. Sydney Patton (UTC) def. Ana Albertson (APSU) - 6-2, 6-3
5. Rachele Gazzola (UTC) def. Brittney Covington (APSU) - 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Mckenzie Barco (UTC) def. Alessandra Maganuco (APSU) - 6-1, 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,4,2,5)
 
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