Women's Tennis Travels to Chattanooga for Fall Opener

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Mercer’s women’s tennis team will play its first competition of the fall portion of the season at the 28^th UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic. The event – hosted by UT-Chattanooga – runs Friday through Sunday (Sept. 30-Oct. 2).

The Classic will have 12 women’s teams in the field with a total of 70 competitors. The event s played at the Champions Club in Chattanooga.

MU head coach Warren Woolfolk’s squad features three returning players from last season. Senior Jennifer Lada heads the cast, beginning her fourth season with the Bears’ program. Lucie Payrat and Amanda Bertani begin their second seasons in the MU colors.

MU will have one competitor in each of the five women’s flights. In Friday’s first-round matches, Lada will take on Kaylene Caldwell from host UTC in the Blue Flight.  Payrat faces Alyssa Bellini from Lipscomb in a Gold Flight match-up and MU newcomer Melanie Schumilas drew Platinum Flight top-seed Elizabeth Kevill of Lipscomb for her opener.

In the Silver Flight, Bertani faces A-Sun Conference foe Kelsey Kennedy of Kennesaw State. Another Mercer newcomer – Katherine Cooper – takes on Madison Patey of North Alabama in the White Flight.

In doubles play, Lada and Payrat will compete in the Gold Flight and face MacKenzie Bishop and Victoria Rees of North Alabama. In the Platinum flight doubles, it will be Bertani and Schumilas versus the Stetson University duo of Maya Stauffer-MacDowell and Naella Wawrinka.