ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Though the No. 23 University of Tennessee women's tennis team earned a 3-1 match lead, No. 58 Missouri tallied the final three points of the match to earn a comeback 4-3 victory Sunday.
With the loss Tennessee drops to .500 on the year with an 8-8 overall record and 5-4 in SEC play. Missouri improves to 9-8 on the year and earns its second SEC win (2-7).
The doubles point turned out to be the deciding factor in the match as the Tigers eked out the Lady Vols on courts two and three 8-6 to get the first point of the day.
However, Brynn Boren and Kata Szekely won their doubles match 8-5 to improve their match win-streak to seven.
In singles, the duo kept their momentum going as Szekely evened things out at one-all with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles while Boren gave the Lady Vols their first lead of the day with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over #105 Cierra Gaytan-Leach at the No. 1 spot. The victory was the sixth straight for Szekely.
Joanna Henderson added to that lead with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles to give Tennessee a 3-1 advantage. Henderson down 0-4 in the second set, rallied off six straight games to earn the victory.
But that would be all for the Lady Vols as Missouri finished the match off with three straight wins, including two three-set match victories to close things out.
The Lady Vols return home next weekend for their final homestand of the 2013 spring season when they play host to Arkansas and LSU. Action will kick off Friday night at 5 p.m. vs. the Razorbacks and will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m. for Senior Day against LSU.
No. 58 Missouri 4, No. 23 Tennessee 3
March 31, 2013
Dwight Davis Tennis Center
St. Louis, Mo.
Singles
1. #21 Brynn Boren (UT) def. #105 Cierra Gaytan-Leach (UM), 7-5, 6-3
2. #38 Kata Szekely (UT) def. Rachel Stuhlmann (UM), 6-2, 6-2
3. Maria Christensen (UM) def. Caitlyn Williams (UT), 6-1, 6-2
4. Joanna Henderson (UT) def. Alex Clark (UM), 6-2, 6-4
5. Elisha Gabb (UM) def. Tiffany Tavares (UT), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Madison Rhyner (UM) def. Sarah Toti (UT), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
Doubles (Texas A&M wins the point)
1. #3 Brynn Boren/Kata Szekely (UM) def. Cierra Gaytan-Leach/Alex Clark (UM) 8-5
2. Rachel Stuhlman/Maria Christensen def. Joanna Henderson/Caitlyn Williams (UT) 8-6
3. Madison Rhyner/Elisha Gabb (UM) def. Sarah Toti/Tiffany Tavares (UT) 8-6
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 3, 2 Singles: 2, 1, 4, 3, 6, 5
Team records
Missouri: 9-8, 2-7 SEC
Tennessee: 8-8, 5-4 SEC
