By Brandon Burke, UT Martin Sports Information Intern
MARTIN, Tenn. – Punctuating the final contest of the 2022 regular season with a flawless victory to send them into next weekend’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament riding a tidal wave of momentum, the University of Tennessee at Martin tennis squad emphatically snared their third W inside of league play in the Volunteer State capitol on Saturday afternoon, silencing Tennessee State on the road by the score of 7-0.
Making quick work of the Tigers in both singles and doubles competition, the Skyhawks controlled the league finale from the beginning to access their fourth win overall of the semester and their second away from home. After TSU forfeited the first doubles point of the afternoon via walkover, the duo of Aziza Aubin/Amelia Campbell swiftly handed UTM the 1-0 lead on a 6-0 shutout of McKhia McCrary and Daniela Koleva.
The orange and blue’s one-sided shellacking continued once the transition to singles commenced, started with a 6-4, 6-0 triumph from senior Sina Albersmeier exactly one week after clinching UTM’s upset win over Murray State. Amelia Campbell kept the ball rolling with a 6-1, 6-0 W over Koleva to bring the Skyhawks halfway there to an OVC blowout.
Responsible for 23 of the team’s 53 one-on-one wins since February, Aubin and true freshman Lia Espinal picked up their 11th and 12th solo victories respectively to put the Tigers at an insurmountable disadvantage, the former on two straight 6-0 shutouts and the latter by scores of 6-3 and 6-2.
Mizuki Sakurai polished off the visitors’ easy day with a 6-2, 6-0 blow-by of Presley Hall to wrap the match up in rapid succession. That point represented win #8 on the year for Sakurai, while Albersmeier and Campbell scooped their 9th and 3rd W’s of the spring respectively to finish the Skyhawks’ perfect performance.
Improving to 3-4 against conference opponents after taking their last two before postseason action, UTM would have leapt to the 5th-seed spot in next week’s OVC bracket had it not been for Murray State’s surprising 4-3 bid over Austin Peay (a result that handed the Governors their first and only loss inside of league territory in seven outings). Thanks to that upset in the Bluegrass State, the Skyhawks will have to settle for the #6 seed at one game back of the Racers, going for round two against Belmont at a neutral site in the conference quarterfinals.
The Bruins were the better side in the two teams’ April 10th meeting in Nashville by a 5-2 clip, presenting UT Martin with a chance at redemption in the league tourney’s opening round. First serve in Evansville, Indiana next Friday will take place at 10:00 a.m. where the Skyhawks aim to advance to the semi’s.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information