HARROGATE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team opened its 2023-24 season with competition Friday on the first day of the Lincoln Memorial University Invitational.
The Pioneers earned three singles victories and two doubles wins on the first day of the two-day event, which utilizes a "hidden dual" format where teams play singles matches in the morning session and doubles contests in the afternoon.
Against Carson-Newman, the Pioneers had three victories in a super tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets. Ylva Frafjord Landa beat Summer Reaves 6-4, 2-6 (10-3), with Johanna Palacio earning a 6-4, 2-6, (10-8) victory over Leah McBride and freshman Johanna Selde claiming a 0-6, 7-5 (11-9) win over Julia Speiser.
In doubles play, the tandem of Elodie Baechler and Valentina Loretz picked up where they left off in the spring, beating Carson-Newman's Anita Chornei and Speiser 6-3 and earning a 6-2 win over Liliana Drukerova and Anna Henriksen of Union. Baechler and Loretz went 13-5 as a team last season and were a perfect 10-0 in South Atlantic Conference play.
Tusculum will resume action Saturday at 10 a.m. with singles play, followed by doubles competition in the afternoon.
LMU Invitational at Harrogate, Tenn.
Day 1 of 2
Singles vs. Carson-Newman
Sindija Manovska (C-N) def. Elodie Baechler (TU) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
Anita Chornei (C-N) def. Paulina Loretz (TU) 7-5, 1-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Natasha Forrest (C-N) def. Valentina Loretz (TU) 7-5, 6-2
Ylva Frafjord Landa (TU) def. Summer Reeves (C-N) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-3)
Johanna Palacio (TU) def. Leah McBride (C-N) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Johanna Selde (TU) def. Julia Speiser (C-N) 0-6, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9)
Doubles vs. Carson-Newman
Natasha Forrest/Summer Reeves (C-N) def. Leonie Floeth/Paulina Loretz (TU) 6-4
Elodie Baechler/Valentina Loretz (TU) def. Anita Chornei/Julia Speiser (C-N) 6-3
Doubles vs. Union
Rin Igarashi/Karen Kondo (Union) def. Leonie Floeth/Paulina Loretz (TU) 6-4
Elodie Baechler/Valentina Loretz (TU) def. Liliana Drukerova/Anna Henriksen (Union) 6-2
Laia Garriga Oms/Beatriz Verdial (Union) def. Ylva Frafjord Landa/Johanna Palacio (TU) 6-4
