NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Commodores continued their resilient postseason play in the first round of NCAA action, defeating the fourth-seeded Murray State Racers 4-0 on their home courts of the Currey Tennis Center. MSU continued to exhibit the great spirit and competitive drive Vanderbilt has grown accustomed to in the postseason. Friday’s match was the fifth time these two institutions as faced one another in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The `Dores dominated doubles with their two top-20 teams only dropping a combined five games in tandems. With the win, the Commodores extend their doubles streak to seven matches. Vandy’s last doubles loss came in Tuscaloosa on March 29th.
No. 20 Courtney Colton and Sydney Campbell garnered their 20th victory as a pair, defeating the Racers’ Eskauriatza/Patton 8-3. Success continued one court over as No. 18 Astra Sharma and Ashleigh Antal clinched the tandems point with their 8-2 victory on court two. The Commodore duo continues to dominate at their position, with a 15-0 record at No. 2 tandems.
With the one-point advantage, Frances Altick powered through her match on court three, working tirelessly to give her team a 2-0 advantage and to achieve her 10th victory at No. 3 singles. The Commodore junior dropped just one game in her 6-0, 6-1 victory over MSU junior Megan Blue.
In one of her last home matches as a Commodore, senior Ashleigh Antal continued to contribute her all as she cruised through her competition on court six. The Wilmington, N.C. native only dropped two games in her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Memphis native Erin Patton.
With the 3-0 lead the `Dores needed just one more victory to advance to second round action of the NCAA tournamet for the fifth consecutive year. That ever-important win came on court one with sophomore Sydney Campbell breaking her four-match losing streak against a tough competitor in MSU’s Andrea Eskauriatza. Campbell dominated the first set, coming out on top 6-1. But her spirited competitor fought back in the second with Campbell edging Eskauriatza 6-1, 6-4.
For the second year in a row the `Dores are headed to second round action here in Nashville. The Commodores face a tough Sooner squad Saturday as 12:00 pm CT, as third-seeded Oklahoma upset second-seeded Ohio State 4-3.
Final Results:
#4 Vanderbilt 4, Murray St. 0
Singles competition
- #8 Sydney Campbell (VANDY) def. ESKAURIATZA, Andrea (MUR) 6-1, 6-4
- #42 Astra Sharma (VANDY) vs. TCHAKAROVA, Eleonore (MUR) 6-4, 4-1, unfinished
- #96 Frances Altick (VANDY) def. BLUE, Megan (MUR) 6-1, 6-0
- #61 Courtney Colton (VANDY) vs. KARAKY, Nancy (MUR) 6-0, 2-4, unfinished
- #120 Marie Casares (VANDY) vs. TCHAKAROVA, Verginie (MUR) 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
- Ashleigh Antal (VANDY) def. PATTON, Erin (MUR) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
- #20 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (VANDY) def. ESKAURIATZA, Andrea/PATTON, Erin (MUR) 8-3
- #18 Ashleigh Antal/Astra Sharma (VANDY) def. TCHAKAROVA, Eleonore/TCHAKAROVA, Verginie (MUR) 8-2
- VASILEVA, Alena/BLUE, Megan (MUR) vs. Marie Casares/Frances Altick (VANDY); 3-3
Match Notes:
Murray St. 17-4
Vanderbilt 20-6; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,6,1)
First Round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament
