Selia Mathew

Knoxville, Tenn.- The University of Alabama women's tennis team lost 4-0 on Saturday to the 14th ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn. No. 44 Alabama finishes the season with 13-11 record.

Tennessee claimed the doubles point by winning two of three doubles matches. At number three doubles, Bama's Becca Baum and Stefanie Leung lost 8-3 to Tennessee's Crystal Cleveland and Breanna Kray. Alabama's 56th ranked combo of Millie Begovic and Weyli Chang then won 8-5 over Tennessee's 17th ranked duo of Vilmarie Castellvi and Agnes Wiski at number one doubles. The Lady Vols clinched the doubles point at number two doubles as UT's Alison Ojeda and Kim Gates defeated UA's Selia Mathew and Jenny Ketchum 8-4.

The Lady Vols then won three straight singles matches for the 4-0 victory over the Crimson Tide. Tennessee's 110th ranked Gates gave UT a 2-0 lead as she won 6-2, 6-2 over UA's Begovic at number three singles. At number four singles, the Lady Vols' Wiski won 6-4, 6-2 over the Crimson Tide's Sophie Cremers. Tennessee then clinched the victory at number two singles as 29th ranked Ojeda of Tennessee won 6-2, 6-1 over Bama's Ketchum at number two singles.

"I could not be more proud of the team," UA head coach Jenny Mainz said. "I love these girls; they have been great. We finished the season on a very strong note. We beat Ohio State and played very hard today and left it all out on the court."

"Tennessee is tough. We had to win the doubles point and we just came up short."

The loss brings the sucessful careers of four Crimson Tide seniors to an end; Baum, Chang, Ketchum and Mathew. Their last two season they qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won the first round match.

No. 14 Tennessee- 4 No. 44 Alabama- 0

Doubles

1.No. 56 Begovic/Chang(UA) def. No. 17 Castellvi/Wiski(UT) 8-5
2.Ojeda/Gates(UT) def. Mathew/Ketchum(UA) 8-4
3.Cleveland/Kray(UT) def. Baum/Leung(UA) 8-3

Singles

1.Selia Mathew(UA) vs. No. 9 Vilmarie Castellvi(UT) 5-7, 1-2 DNF
2.No. 29 Alison Ojeda(UT) def. Jenny Ketchum(UA) 6-2, 6-1
3.No. 110 Kim Gates(UT) def. Millie Begovic(UA) 6-2, 6-2
4.Agnes Wiski(UT) def. Sophie Cremers(UA) 6-4, 6-2
5.Weyli Chang(UA) vs. Crystal Cleveland(UT) 7-6, 3-2 DNF
6.Becca Baum(UA) vs. Ashley Roberts(UT) 6-4, 1-1 DNF