Phoenix Cannot Stop Tigers Rally After Doubles Victory

SEWANEE, Tenn. - - The Cumberland women's tennis team took on the Sewanee Tigers this afternoon but fell to the DIII team by a score of 6-1.

Doubles was a promising start for Cumberland as Elina Sungatullina and Maria Arbelaez won a 6-0 shutout at the third spot, while Juanita and Valentina Mendez secured the point with a 6-4 win at the second spot.

Madeleine Darud and Asya Tilsim Timur were unable to win at the top position, dropping a close 4-6 result.

Despite dropping the doubles point, the Tigers responded in quick fashion once the match shifted over to singles. Arbelaez patrolled at the top position for Cumberland and was able to take three games off the top Tiger, but fell 1-6, 2-6. Just after her at the second singles spot Asya Tilsim Timur lost with a matched 6-3, 6-3 score.

At three singles Valentina Mendez couldn't carry her momentum over from doubles into singles, dropping her match 6-0, 6-0. Just past her was Elina Sungatullina who fell in a third-set tiebreaker. The Russian won her first set 6-4 but saw her opponent come back to win the second set and the tiebreak 4-6, 4-10 respectively.

Madeleine Darud was hanging on strong at five singles but retired after losing her first set, 4-6. On the final court of the night Ame Van Eijk dropped her match in another third-set tiebreaker after winning the opener. The sophomore allowed her opponent to hold serve in the first game of the match but then rallied back to win 6-1, before dropping the second 4-6, and the tiebreaker 6-10.

Cumberland will take on Blue Mountain Christian and Christian Brothers next Thursday, February 12th.

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Players Mentioned

Maria Arbelaez: 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Madeleine Darud: 5' 5"; Junior

Valentina Mendez: 5' 8"; Senior

Asya Tilsim Timur: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Ame Van Eijk: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Elina Sungatullina: 5' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

Maria Arbelaez
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Madeleine Darud
: 5' 5"; Junior

Valentina Mendez
: 5' 8"; Senior

Asya Tilsim Timur
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Ame Van Eijk
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Elina Sungatullina
: 5' 8"; Senior