MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee won the doubles point and five of six singles matches, defeating Chattanooga, 6-1, Wednesday night at the Racquet Club of Murfreesboro. The Blue Raiders (3-2) won their first home match of the season and ended a two-match losing streak.
In doubles UTC's Anastasia Zhukova and Lindsey Ballard defeated Marlene Chemin and Claudia Szabo, 8-4, at No. 1, but the Blue Raiders won the other two matches to take the first point.
Kelly Adams and Ann-Kristin Siljestrom won 8-2 over Talita Bragato and Beata Knizat at No. 2, and Pooja Kommireddi and Elvira Yusupova defeated Bonnie Adams and Ashley Johnson, 8-1, at No. 3.
In singles Zhukova prevailed, 6-2, 6-1, over Chemin at No. 1 to knot the match at one, but Siljestrom won 6-2, 6-3, over Adams at No. 4 just minutes later to give Middle Tennessee a 2-1 edge.
Yusupova then won 6-3, 7-6 (4), at No. 3 over Bragato, and Szabo played another three-setter, prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, over Ballard at No. 2.
Adams defeated Johnson, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 5, and Kommireddi won 6-1, 6-2, over Knizat at No. 6.
Head coach Alison Ojeda said her team played better and was able to get into more of a rhythm than in the matches over the weekend against East Tennessee and Wichita State.
"We've played some teams before who didn't really give you a chance to play your best tennis because of the pace of play," Ojeda said. "But we got into more of a rhythm tonight and played much better.
"We changed up the doubles, just trying to figure out our best teams and the chemistry. I think all three of our combinations tonight can be very good.
Middle Tennessee plays again February 14 at 2:30 p.m. at 14th-ranked Vanderbilt.
Middle Tennessee 6, Chattanooga 1
SINGLES
1. Anastasia Zhukova (UTC) def. Marlene Chemin (MT), 6-2, 6-1
2. Claudia Szabo (MT) def. Lindsey Ballard (UTC), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
3. Elvira Yusupova (MT) def. Talita Bragato (UTC), 6-3, 7-6 (4)
4. Ann-Kristin Siljestrom (MT) def. Bonnie Adams (UTC), 6-2, 6-3
5. Kelly Adams (MT) def. Ashley Johnson (UTC), 6-1, 6-3
6. Pooja Komireddi (MT) def. Beata Knizat (UTC), 6-1, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Zhukova-Ballard (UTC) def. Chemin-Szabo (MT), 8-4
2. Adams-Siljestrom (MT) def. Bragato-Knizat (UTC), 8-2
3. Kommireddi-Yusupova (MT) def. Adams-Johnson (UTC), 8-1
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