TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Feb. 15, 2025) – Playing in its fifth match against a power conference opponent this season, the ETSU women's tennis broke through with a 4-3 win over Minnesota in a neutral site match played in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday. Saturday's win not only boosts ETSU's record to 3-4 on the season but also is ETSU's first win over an active member of the Big Ten since it defeated Michigan State in 2007.
 
ETSU got off to a good start on Saturday. The doubles duo of Daniela Rivera and Alessandra Caceres continued to roll as they won their match 6-4. Rivera and Caceres have now won four of their five matches this spring. The Golden Gophers won the next doubles tilt that completed but Ksenija Rage and Ralitsa Alexandrova clinched the doubles point for the Blue and Gold with another 6-4 victory.
 
Moving onto singles, Minnesota battled back and achieved match point by winning three singles contests. Rivera won her match in No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-4, but the Bucs still trailed the Golden Gophers, 3-2. Alexandrova's three-set win knotted Saturday's match at 3-3 and then Julia Millan earned the match-clinching victory for ETSU. In each of ETSU's three wins this season, the Bucs have battled back after trailing during the match.
 
Saturday's full match results can be found below.
 
Singles Competition
1. Daniela Rivera (ETSU) def. Aiva Schmitz (MINN) 6-1, 6-4
2. Anali Kocevar (MINN) def. Jana Rovira (ETSU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Mia Liepert (MINN) def. Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) 6-2, 7-6
4. Julia Millan (ETSU) def. Anlin Xie (MINN) 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
5. Ralitsa Alexandrova (ETSU) def. Jeselle Ante (MINN) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
6. Sofia Pinto (MINN) def. Ksenija Rage (ETSU) 7-5, 7-5
 
Doubles Competition
1. Daniela Rivera/Alessandra Caceres (ETSU) def. Mia Liepert/Anali Kocevar (MINN) 6-4
2. Sofia Pinto/Anlin Xie (MINN) def. Jana Rovira/Julia Millan (ETSU) 6-4
3. Ksenija Rage/Ralitsa Alexandrova (ETSU) def. Jeselle Ante/Aiva Schmitz (MINN) 6-4
 
The Bucs will remain on the road for their next match, which is at Gardner-Webb on Tuesday. First serve for that matchup is set for 2 p.m.
 
For more information on Buccaneer women's tennis, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's tennis tab.