DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle women's tennis team notched its third win against a ranked opponent this season, downing NAIA No. 18 Cumberland 8-1 at the Crotty Tennis Complex on Tuesday. The more than four-hour long match saw the Eagles register three straight-set victories and two three-set wins to improve their overall record to 4-3.

The Eagles had an early advantage as the Bulldogs defaulted at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles, giving ERAU a 2-0 lead. Cumberland got a point at No. 2 doubles where Angelica Sepulveda and Franki Jecker earned an 8-6 win over Anna Götz and Paola Montero. At the top spot, the Blue and Gold widened the gap to 3-1 as the top-ranked duo of Kristina Marova and Hui-I Huang held off 18th-ranked Antea Dedic and Alena Gizdic, 8-6.

In singles, play Paula Ortiz Couder made quick work of Tais Lacerda Bezerra at the No. 5 spot, besting the Bulldog senior 6-0, 6-1 for the Eagles' first singles point. Eva Vilar followed with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Jecker at the fourth position to score the clinching point.

Ninth-ranked Huang notched her first dual match singles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sepulveda at the top spot, and Marova rebounded from a 6-3 deficit in the first set to take the next two 6-0, 10-7, respectively, to extend the ERAU lead to 7-1.

The final match off the court was at No. 2 singles where Götz was embroiled in a three-set battle with 38th-ranked Gizdic. Gizdic managed to hold on for a 7-6 (7-2) win in the first set, but a resilient Götz rebounded to take the second 6-4 and force a deciding third set. With the team outcome already determined, Götz and Gizdic competed in a 10-point tiebreaker in the third set and in the end it was Götz who held off Gizdic 10-8 for the win.

The Eagles' next match will be at 3:30 on Friday when they host NAIA No. 24 Olivet Nazarene at the Crotty Tennis Complex.

#7 Embry-Riddle 8, #18 Cumberland 1

Singles
1. #9 Hui-I Huang (ERAUWT13) def. Angelica Sepulveda (CUW) 6-2, 6-4
2. Anna Gotz (ERAUWT13) def. #38 Alena Gizdic (CUW) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 10-8
3. Kristina Marova (ERAUWT13) def. Antea Dedic (CUW) 3-6, 6-0, 10-7
4. Eva Vilar (ERAUWT13) def. Franki Jecker (CUW) 6-1, 6-1
5. Paula Oritz Couder (ERAUWT13) def. Tais L. Bezerra (CUW) 6-0, 6-1
6. Meena Bennett (ERAUWT13) def. No player (CUW), by default

 Doubles
1. Kristina Marova/Hui-I Huang (ERAUWT13) def. Antea Dedic/Alena Gizdic (CUW) 8-6
2. Angelica Sepulveda/Franki Jecker (CUW) def. Anna Gotz/Paola Montero (ERAUWT13) 8-6
3. Paula Oritz Couder/Eva Vilar (ERAUWT13) def. No player/No player (CUW), by default

Match Notes:
Cumberland 3-2; National ranking #18
Embry-Riddle 4-3; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (,4,1,3,2)
Vilar clinched at No. 4 singles