The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's tennis team scored an impressive non-conference road win at Troy today.  The Mocs defeated the Trojans 5-2 to even their overall record at 2-2. 

Troy was the top seed in last year's Sun Belt Tournament and entered today with a 1-0 spring record.  This was just the second ever meeting between these two teams, with the Trojans taking a 4-3 win on Feb. 14, 2004. 

The Mocs opened by grabbing the doubles point for the second day in a row.  Sophomore Bogdona Zaporozhets and freshman Lilly Holmes defeated Maria Casas Blas and Celia Estevan 6-2 at No. 3.  They were down 2-0 before winning six straight.   
Troy answered with a win at No. 2, but senior Delaney Edwards and sophomore Emma Van Hee clinched the point at No. 1.  The Mocs No. 1 and No. 3 tandems both improved to 2-1 in the spring. 

Troy tied the score at 1-1 with a win at No. 1 singles.  Zaporozhets followed with a (6-1, 6-4) victory against Tingting Pei at No. 2.  It was Zaporozhets's highest win in the lineup in her career. 

Freshman Lilly Holmes continued her strong start to spring play.  She posted her fourth win in a row with a straight-setter (6-3, 6-3) against Chunxi Guo at No. 3. 

The Trojans pulled to within 3-2 with a win at No. 6.  That left Van Hee at No. 5 and senior Caroline Hall at No. 4 still on the court.  Van Hee was in a tight, three set match against Pei Ju Hsieh, but Hall was able to seal the win.  She nailed a cross-court winner off a drop shot to clinch the team victory.

"Today was an awesome day," stated Hall.  "We beat a great team.  Our team came out strong in doubles and singles and we all cheered each other on.  The energy was high and that really helped me clinch the match for the team."
Van Hee rode that momentum to her win at No. 5.  She finished off Hsieh (6-4, 3-6, 6-3).

"This was a huge win," added head coach Chad Camper.  "I thought we did a great job in doubles.  It was a great battle and both teams made each other better.  We are leaning, but I could not be more pleased.  We are looking forward to some rest then working on a few more things this week."

UTC stays on the road next weekend with two matches in Nashville.  The Mocs take on Tennessee State on Friday, Feb. 8, and Belmont on Saturday, Feb. 9. 

Chattanooga 5, Troy 2
02/03/2019 at Troy, Ala. (Lunsford Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. Matea Mihaljevic (TROY) def. Polina Goloputova (UTC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Bogdona Zaporozhets (UTC) def. Tingting Pei (TROY) 6-1, 6-4
3. Lilly Holmes (UTC) def. Chunxi Guo (TROY) 6-3, 6-3
4. Caroline Hall (UTC) def. Celia Estevan (TROY) 6-1, 6-4
5. Emma Van Hee (UTC) def. Pei Ju Hsieh (TROY) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
6. Maria Casas Blas (TROY) def. Anna Didkovskaya (UTC) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Delaney Edwards/Emma Van Hee (UTC) def. Matea Mihaljevic/Tingting Pei (TROY) 6-4
2. Pei Ju Hsieh/Chunxi Guo (TROY) def. Polina Goloputova/Annie Tarwater (UTC) 6-3
3. Bogdona Zaporozhets/Lilly Holmes (UTC) def. Maria Casas Blas/Celia Estevan (TROY) 6-2

Match Notes
Chattanooga 2-2
Troy 2-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,2,3,6,4,5)