RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. – The University of Tennessee Southern women's tennis team opened Southern States Athletic Conference play with a 4-3 win over Blue Mountain Christian on Thursday. The match with came down to the final singles match with UTS taking the win.

UT Southern took the doubles point, winning two of three matches. Abbey Rumble and Sienna Ruberto fell 6-1 and Otone Odajima and Yen-Ju Chang won their doubles match 6-4. Emely Castro and Leovanna Viamonte earned a win via forfeit to give UTS the 1-0 lead after doubles.

In singles, BMC got out to the early 1-0 led after Sanches fell 0-6, 1-6. Castro leveled the singles score with her 6-1, 6-1 win. BMC would take the overall match lead securing the #2 and #4 matches. In the #2 Odajima fell 4-6, 1-6, and in the #4 Ruberto fell 6-7 (8-10), 0-6. With UT Southern assured a forfeit win in the #6 match, it all came down to the #5 match. In that deciding match, Chang won 6-4, 6-2. Viamonte gets credit for a win in the #6.

NEXT UP

UT Southern will travel to West Tennessee to battle Lane College and Bethel on Sunday, March 10^th.

FOLLOW THE FIREHAWKS

Don't miss a minute of the latest action surrounding UTS Athletics by following the Firehawks on Twitter (@utsathletics), Instagram (@utsouthernathletics), and Facebook (@UT Southern Firehawks).