FERRUM, Va. - - Members of the UVa-Wise women's tennis team participated in the Ferrum Invitational Saturday in four-team double elimination matches. The tournament was a flighted format where members of each team participating compete and advance as individuals through winner's and loser's brackets.

At No. 1 singles, Liza Akimenko defeated Makenna Mason of Salem College, 8-0, before advancing to the next round and defeating her opponent by another 8-0 decision. At No. 2 singles, Katya Akimenko defeated Valerie Sargeant of Hollins, 8-1, as Akimenko advanced to the next round, winning by a score of 8-0. Grace Hall competed in the number four singles bracket, posting an 8-1 win over Carmen Wilkins of Salem. Montana Hill picked up a couple of wins within the No. 5 singles brackets, outlasting her opponents by scores of 8-0 and 8-1. Aya Melhem defeated each of her opponents in the No. 3 singles bracket with a pair of 8-0 wins over her opponents. Olivia Dishner competed at number six singles where she recorded a score of 8-6 in the win.

At No. 3 doubles, Dishner and Lillian Morris picked up an 8-2 win over Salem. Montana Hill and Gabrielle Beville suffered an 8-6 setback to Ferrum, but earned an 8-0 win later over Salem to advance to play teammates Dishner and Morris, with Dishner and Morris defeating Hill and Beville, 8-7(7-4). Melhem and Hall advanced quickly through the winner's bracket at No. 2 doubles, defeating their opponents with scores of 8-5 and 8-1.

Up next, women's tennis will face Anderson University (SC) on Oct. 20 at home with first serve scheduled for 11 a.m.