The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's tennis team remained unbeaten in spring action with a 6-1 win over Presbyterian at McCallie's Strang-Voges Tennis Center in Chattanooga today.  The Mocs won the doubles point and five singles matches to improve to 4-0 overall, while the Blue Hose fell to 0-3.

"The team pulled out a gutsy win today," stated UTC head coach Chad Camper. "It took everything we had to compete on each court and I am proud of this team for the fight they showed today." 
 
After dropping the doubles point in each of its first two matches on the year, the Mocs won all five that finished this weekend.  That included three solid victories today.    
 
The UTC freshman duo of Callie Billman and Wilma Berqgvist were down 3-2 at No. 3 against Jessica Leeman and Lucianna Piedra before battling back for a 6-4 win.  Junior Emma Van Hee and sophomore Caroline Gibbens cruised to a 6-3 win over Samantha Calais and Alexa Wilson at No. 1.

There was a little drama at No. 2 where junior Bogdana Zaporozhets and freshman Jessie Young trailed Zeba Jamal and Beth Lacey 5-4. The Mocs came back in that one, closing out doubles action with a 7-5 win. 

Sophomore Polina Goloputova was first off in singles at No. 3.  She defeated Wilson (6-1, 6-2) to improve to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in spring duals. Van Hee gave Chattanooga a 3-0 lead with a (7-6 (4), 6-2) win over Jamal at No. 2.

Presbyterian got on the board at No. 4, while the remaining three matches were three-set battles.  Zaporozhets won the first set at No. 5 over Piedra, but dropped the second.  She clinched the team win (6-2, 4-6, 6-1) by winning the third frame 6-1. 

The Mocs lost the first set at both No. 1 and No. 6, but came back to take the second in each match.  UTC was dominate in the third set, only dropping three games in the final frame of both wins.  Young made it 5-1 when she downed Calais at No. 1 (4-6, 6-4, 6-1), while Billman ran out to a 5-0 lead in the third before finishing off Lacey (4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2).

Up next for the Mocs are two more home matches next weekend.  UTC hosts Western Kentucky on Friday, Feb. 12, and Austin Peay on Sunday, Feb. 14.  Times and locations will be posted on GoMocs.com later in the week, so be sure to check back for details and the weekend preview. 

Chattanooga 6, Presbyterian College 1
2/7/2021 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Strang-Voges Tennis Center)
Doubles competition
1. Caroline Gibbens/Emma Van Hee (UTC) def. Samantha Calais/Alexa Wilson (PRE) 6-3
2. Bogdana Zaporozhets/Jessie Young (UTC) def. Zeba Jamal/Beth Lacey (PRE) 7-5
3. Callie Billman/Wilma Berqgvist (UTC) def. Jessica Leeman/Lucianna Piedra (PRE) 6-4

Singles competition
1. Jessie Young (UTC) def. Samantha Calais (PRE) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Emma Van Hee (UTC) def. Zeba Jamal (PRE) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
3. Polina Goloputova (UTC) def. Alexa Wilson (PRE) 6-1, 6-2
4. Jessica Leeman (PRE) def. Wilma Berqgvist (UTC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Bogdana Zaporozhets (UTC) def. Lucianna Piedra (PRE) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
6. Callie Billman (UTC) def. Beth Lacey (PRE) 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2

Match Notes
Presbyterian College 0-3
Chattanooga 4-0
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,2,4,5,1,6)
T-3:17