CINCINNATI - The ETSU women’s tennis team played their first match in Cincinnati, Ohio. at the Eastern Hills Indoor Tennis Club. The Bucs stayed close with the Bearcats, but ultimately fell 4-3.

The Bucs quickly got on the board after winning the doubles point. Yi Chi Ma and Raquel Amaro won the first match with a 6-1 win over Emma Miceli and Caroline Morton. Clinching the point for the Bucs would be Yunuen Elizarraras  and Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga. The pair won 6-3 over Alexia Coutino and Amanda Huser.

Amaro gave ETSU a 2-0 advantage with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Maria Santili at the No. 4 spot. Iona Guna would give Cincinnati their first point of the match after she defeated Laylo Bakhodirova (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) 6-4, 6-2. Pascual-Larrinaga won her match at the No. 3 spot with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Alexis Coutino. Alejandra Morales (Santiago, Chile) had one of the longest matches of the day, but fell 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 7-5 to Caroline Morton. Cincinnati took their first lead of the match after Anna Philip defeated Yi Chi Ma 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). With the match tied at three, Emma Miceli defeated Elizarraras 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to clinch the match.

The Bucs return to action tomorrow, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. when they take on Xavier.

Singles competition

1. Ioana Guna (CIN) def. Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSU) 6-4, 6-2

2. Caroline Morton (CIN) def. Alejandra Morales (ETSU) 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 7-5

3. A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSU) def. Alexia Coutino (CIN) 6-2, 7-5

4. Raquel Amaro (ETSU) def. Maria Santilli (CIN) 6-3, 6-4

5. Emma Miceli (CIN) def. Yunuen Elizarraras (ETSU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

6. Anna Philp (CIN) def. Yi Chi Ma (ETSU) 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles competition

1. Ioana Guna/Anna Philp (CIN) def. Laylo Bakhodirova/Alejandra Morales (ETSU) 5-4

2. Raquel Amaro/Yi Chi Ma (ETSU) def. Emma Miceli/Caroline Morton (CIN) 6-1

3. Yunuen Elizarraras/A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSU) def. Alexia Coutino/Amanda Huser (CIN) 6-3

Match Notes: ETSU 5-6 Cincinnati 6-4 Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,1,3,2,6,5)