CHATTANOOGA (January 20, 2025) – The Chattanooga Mocs women's team earned its first victory of the extremely young 2025 season after defeating in-state NCAA Division II-member Lee University 5-2 in non-conference action on a chilly Monday afternoon inside the Strang-Voges Tennis Center on the campus of nearby McCallie School.
 
Competing on a quick turnaround, Chattanooga (1-1) bounced back from last night's road defeat at UNC Asheville with strong singles play to help down Lee (1-0) in its home opener. The match was designated as an exhibition match for the Lady Flames as the team's overall record remains put after the defeat.
 
Lee took an early 1-0 lead in the match after claiming a pair of 6-3 victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions. UTC's No. 3 tandem of sophomore Margaret Manolache and freshman Zara Burns battled their way to a 7-5 decision to conclude the doubles portion.
 
It was all Chattanooga in singles action with the first five final results all favoring the hosts to clinch the match's ultimate fourth (and fifth) point. The trio of Emma Pedretti (No. 3), Manolache (No. 6) and Alice Hall (No. 5) kicked things off with convincing wins to help put UTC ahead 3-1 in the match.
 
Freshman Savannah Presson (No. 2) provided the match-clinching fourth point with a smooth 6-1, 6-3 winner before Burns (No. 4) rallied in the second set to come away with a hard-fought 6-2, 7-5 decision. Madlena Orlova (No. 1) fell to Lee's Ashleigh Simes in tie-breaking fashion (6-7, 7-5, 10-4) in the match's top singles pairing.
 
Up Next
Chattanooga will gear up for another batch of consecutive matches with the first coming next Saturday (January 25) and the latter on Sunday (January 26), both held in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Mocs will face Louisville on Saturday and Middle Tennessee on Sunday. Stick to GoMocs.com for all match links, if available.
 
MATCH RESULTS
Chattanooga 5, Lee University 2
SINGLES
1. Ashleigh Simes (LEE) def. Madlena Orlova (UTC) 6-7, 7-5, 10-4
2. Savannah Presson (UTC) def. Maria Penalver (LEE) 6-1, 6-3
3. Emma Pedretti (UTC) def. Aliyah Dwyer (LEE) 6-4, 6-3
4. Zara Burns (UTC) def. Vitoria Maximiliano (LEE) 6-2, 7-5
5. Alice Hall (UTC) def. Kanna Kobayakawa (LEE) 6-4, 6-1
6. Margaret Manolache (UTC) def. Nicolette Fuhr (LEE) 6-1, 6-3
 
DOUBLES
1. Ashleigh Simes/Aliyah Dwyer (LEE) def. Savannah Presson/Alice Hall (UTC) 6-3
2. Maria Penalver/Kanna Kobayakawa (LEE) def. Madlena Orlova/Emma Pedretti (UTC) 6-3
3. Margaret Manolache/Zara Burns (UTC) def. Vitoria Maximiliano/Nicolette Fuhr (LEE) 7-5
 
RECORDS/NOTES
Chattanooga 1-1
Lee University 1-0; exhibition
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,6,5,2,4,1)
Chattanooga, Tenn. (Strang-Voges Tennis Center)
T-2:53 A-31

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