Hey Vol Fans, everyone enjoy the Vols winning the weekend series over Vandy and the Lady Vols being named #3 seed, a program best, in the NCAA Softball tourney?
Well, both of those diamond accomplishments were special, but I hope you did not miss that both Tennessee tennis teams advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight after both posting big wins on Saturday. Tennessee joins Virginia as the only schools to have both the men’s and women’s team in the Elite Eight.
The No. 7-seed Tennessee men’s team will take on No. 3 Texas on Thursday while the No. 16-seed Lady Vols will battle #8 UCLA on Friday, both matches will be played in Stillwater OK. Let’s talk a little about how both teams got to the Elite 8, particularly the Lady Vols who pulled off a historic upset Saturday to advance.
The Lady Vols had to take on the undefeated, 29-0, and top-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls on their home courts in Stillwater. Anybody that has ever played competitive tennis knows winning on the road in tennis is also tough to do, much less against the top ranked team in the NCAA Championships.
Things didn’t start off well as the Lady Vols lost the doubles point, something they only did twice during the regular season. Then things changed quickly as the Lady Vols singles players hit the courts. Alana Wolfberg put the first point on the board as her line 3 opponent had to retire from the match for medical reasons.
The next point came as Catherine Aulia took her line 4 match 6-4, 6-1 to give the Lady Vols a 2-1 lead. Then Esther Adeshina won her line 6 match 6-4, 6-3. Sofia Cabezas clinched the match for the Lady Vols by winning her line 1 match in a 3 set comeback battle 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6). Oklahoma State took the line 2 match to make the final score 4-2 Lady Vols. This is only the third time in program history that the Lady Vols have advanced to the Elite 8 (2002, 2010, 2024). Tennessee has now defeated 12 ranked teams this season. Coach Alison Ojeda and staff are elevating the Lady Vols Tennis Program to a level where reaching the Elite 8 may not be considered something out of the ordinary in the future.
The Vols had the luxury of playing FSU in the comfortable home confines of Barksdale Stadium Saturday which was a very good thing considering the squeaker final score of 4-3 in their win to advance to the Elite 8. Tennessee did not lose a home match this season going a perfect 18-0. Once again things started shaky as FSU took the doubles point. FSU then expanded their lead to 3-1 taking the line 5 and 6 line matches with Vol Shunsuke Mitsui finally putting Tennessee on the board by taking his line 2 match 6-2, 6-2. All-American and SEC Player of the Year Johannus Monday took the 1 line match 6-4, 7-5. Filip Pieczonka then tied the match at 3-3 by winning his line 3 match in a 3-setter setting the stage for the deciding match point at the line 4 match. Vol Angel Diaz’s match went 3 sets with two going into tie-breakers before Angel put the match away in the third set tie breaker 7-5. The 4-3 win over FSU allows the Vols to advance to the Elite 8 for the 12th time in program history which includes 3 times in the past 5 years. Vol tennis legend Chris Woodruff & staff are doing a remarkable job with the Vols Tennis Program making it one of the nation’s elite programs.
I will be posting updates in Vol Stuff this week leading up to the Elite 8 matches so be on the outlook for the latest information on the Vols and Lady Vols Tennis Teams as they prepare for their Elite 8 matches.
