The Tennessee women’s tennis team advanced through the second day of the ITA South Sectional on Friday, securing a doubles consolation victory alongside several hard-fought singles and doubles matches.
Doubles and Singles Match Results
In the doubles consolation round, Saray Yli-Piipari and Lisa Kamigata secured a convincing win for Tennessee by defeating Georgia Tech’s Eleni Karantali and Given Roach in consecutive sets with scores of 6-2, 6-1. Meanwhile, Lady Vols pair Rinon Okuwaki and Maeve Thornton fell to Vanderbilt’s Mia Yamakita and Erin Pearce with a score of 6-3, 6-0.
Tennessee head coach Alison Ojeda noted that the match provided valuable insight into Okuwaki and Thornton’s partnership and individual play. In singles competition, Francesca Mattioli lost a tight three-set battle to Indiana’s Hiilani Williams, ending 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (5). Mattioli successfully defended multiple match points during the third frame at 4-5 and 5-6 before falling in the tiebreak. Kamigata also dropped a three-set encounter to Georgia’s Patricija Paukstye with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4, after taking the opening set in a tiebreak.
Coach Assessment and Upcoming Matches
Reflecting on Kamigata’s performance, Ojeda praised the freshman’s potential and competitive mindset. “This fall, we’ve seen that Lisa’s really freaking good,” Ojeda stated, adding that maintaining physical explosiveness throughout a three-hour match will make the player difficult to defeat.
Ojeda further emphasized the strong competitive drive possessed by both Kamigata and freshman Aly Shannon, affirming their places in the future lineup. Kamigata and Yli-Piipari will advance to the consolation bracket semifinal on Saturday, while Tennessee duos Sarah Mildren and Alyson Shannon, as well as Mattioli and Stefani Webb, will face each other in the opposite consolation semifinal following advancement via injury walkovers.
