Skip To Main Content

Cumberland University

Nowak and Mendez
1
Bethel (TN) rsz44bap9lpbr2qc (0)
6
Winner Cumberland (TN) 04rh3fwpktvbfu8v (0)
Bethel (TN) rsz44bap9lpbr2qc
(0)
1
Final
6
Cumberland (TN) 04rh3fwpktvbfu8v
(0)
Winner

Next Match:

at Freed Hardeman University

4/16/2025 | 1:00 PM

Next Match

Full Schedule
Apr. 16 (Wed) / 1:00 PM
at Freed Hardeman University
History

Match Recap: Women's Tennis |

Women's Tennis Make Statement With 6-1 Win Over 23rd-ranked Wildcats

LEBANON, Tenn. - -  Wrapping up conference home action, the Cumberland women's tennis team made a statement in their 6-1 win against no. 23 ranked Bethel University.

Cumberland started their day off hot with two big wins in doubles to secure the point in short time. Kaede Hatano and Lara Zugasti first took down the Wildcats number two, 6-1, and then Valentina Mendez and Maria Arbelaez won on court three with the same score.

After going ahead 4-2, Juanita Mendez and Emilia Nowak stumbled, allowing the Wildcats to take it all the way to a set tiebreaker. The Phoenix dropped their opening serve but went on to win every other point in the tiebreak, 7-1.

Taking a 1-0 lead into singles action, Cumberland had some room to work with though the Wildcats would never go down easy. The first match to wrap up in singles play was on court two, seeing Emilia Nowak dominate her opponent and finish the match in 45 minutes, winning 6-0, 6-1.

Just after going ahead 2-0 though, Bethel took a point from Elina Sungatullina on court one, winning 6-2, 6-0. With the match now 2-1 in favor of the Phoenix, it was another 30 minutes before a match would find its conclusion.

Playing in just her third match of the season, Maria Arbelaez took longer than her teammate Nowak did but won by the same score, 6-0, 6-1. There were just three courts left to play and with a 3-1 match lead, the Phoenix only needed one but would be all three.

Kaede Hatano took her first set in a tiebreak, despite going down 6-5 as the first was nearing its conclusion. Her opponent on court three rebounded in the second set, winning 6-2, setting things up for a deciding third set. Going up 3-0 in the deciding set, Hatano built up enough cushion to win the set and the match for Cumberland, 6-4.

Lara Zugasti dropped her first set on court six but battled back to win the second with the same score she lost the opener, 6-4. Adding another point on the match total for Phoenix, the Spaniard ran out to a 3-0 set lead like Hatano and finished her deciding set in front, 6-3.

Making for three straight three-set matches, Madeleine Darud dropped her first set in a close 7-5 dual, and came back to win her second set handedly, 6-2. Taking more than two hours to finish her marathon match, Darud won in a third-set tiebreak, 7-6, to make it a dominant win for the Phoenix over the no. 24 Wildcats.

Cumberland will play again tomorrow as they square off with Freed-Hardeman in their conference finale.
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Maria Arbelaez

Maria Arbelaez

5' 6"
Senior
Madeleine Darud

Madeleine Darud

5' 5"
Sophomore
Kaede Hatano

Kaede Hatano

5' 7"
Senior
Juanita Mendez

Juanita Mendez

5' 10"
Junior
Valentina Mendez

Valentina Mendez

5' 8"
Junior
Elina Sungatullina

Elina Sungatullina

5' 8"
Senior
Lara Zugasti

Lara Zugasti

5' 5"
Senior
Emilia Nowak

Emilia Nowak

5' 5"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maria Arbelaez

Maria Arbelaez

5' 6"
Senior
Madeleine Darud

Madeleine Darud

5' 5"
Sophomore
Kaede Hatano

Kaede Hatano

5' 7"
Senior
Juanita Mendez

Juanita Mendez

5' 10"
Junior
Valentina Mendez

Valentina Mendez

5' 8"
Junior
Elina Sungatullina

Elina Sungatullina

5' 8"
Senior
Lara Zugasti

Lara Zugasti

5' 5"
Senior
Emilia Nowak

Emilia Nowak

5' 5"
Freshman