BOISE, Idaho – Trailing 3-0 in its season-opening match, No. 29 Vanderbilt reeled off three straight singles wins to knot its match against No. 31 Auburn at three before the Tigers were able to claim the final singles match to earn a 4-3 win in the opening match of the ITA Kick-off Weekend.
With the loss, Vanderbilt (0-1) will now face the loser of the Boise State-Stanford match at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday. Auburn (1-0) will face the winner of the Boise State-Stanford match.
Auburn took a 1-0 lead in the match by sweeping all the three doubles matches. The Tigers would build their lead to 3-0 following wins in the Nos. 1 and 2 singles positions.
However, just when it looked like the Commodores were dead in the water, they came roaring back. Junior Vijay Paul led the charge when he gave Vanderbilt its first point of the match, defeating Lukas Marsoun, 7-6, 6-3, in the No. 3 singles position.
Vanderbilt pulled within one after freshman Alex DiValerio defeated Alex Petropoulos, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, in the No. 6 singles position.
Fellow freshman Charlie Jones knotted the score at three when he fought back from a one-set deficit to defeat Milan Krnjetin, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Unfortunately, the Commodores were unable to extend their run just one match further. In the decisive match, Auburn’s Alex Stamchev defeated sophomore Adam Baker in the No. 4 position, 6-4, 6-4.
ITA Kick-off Weekend
Boise, Idaho
#31 Auburn University 4, #29 Vanderbilt University 3
Singles competition
1. #48 Alexey Tsyrenov (AU) def. Bryant Salcedo (VU) 2-6, 7-6 (6-2),6-2
2. Tim Puetz (AU) def. Nick Cromydas (VU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Vijay Paul (VU) def. Lukas Marsoun (AU) 7-6, 6-3
4. Alex Stamchev (AU) def. Adam Baker (VU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Charlie Jones (VU) def. Milan Krnjetin (AU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
6. Alex DiValerio (VU) def. Alex Petropoulos (AU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #10 Alexey Tsyrenov/Tim Puetz (AU) def. Bryant Salcedo/Nick Cromydas(VU) 8-3
2. #19 Lukas Marsoun/Alex Stamchev (AU) def. Adam Baker/Charlie Jones(VU) 8-1
3. Milan Krnjetin/Alex Petropoulos (AU) def. Vijay Paul/Jame Moye (VAND)7-6 (8-6)
Match Notes:
Vanderbilt University 0-1; National ranking #29
Auburn University 1-0; National ranking #31
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,2,3,6,5,4)T-4:00 A-35
