LEXINGTON, Ky. – Vanderbilt women’s tennis got back in the win column with a 6-1 victory at Kentucky Friday. The Commodores came out strong, clinching the doubles points with a pair of wins on Court 1 and 3 to gain the advantage heading into the latter half of competition.
After claiming the first set on five of six courts, the Commodores jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Marcella Cruz and Anna Ross took their courts in straight sets. Holly Staff ultimately clinched the match for Vandy with a three set win on Court 3 before the Dores finished the afternoon with the 6-1 final.
Seeing Doubles
- The Commodores got off to a strong start clinching the doubles points with a pair of wins on Court 1 and Court 3.
- Yufei Long and Amy Stevens teamed up to claim a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles to give the visiting Dores the advantage as the remaining courts played on.
- On the top court, Ross and Anessa Lee kept it close early, trading the first six games with the opponent before pulling ahead to take the eventual 6-4 victory and doubles point.
Strength in Singles
- Cruz extended the Vanderbilt lead with a pair of 6-2 set wins on Court 4 early in singles.
- Moments later, Ross made it 3-0, Vanderbilt, with a service ace at No. 1 singles. She took her court in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-2.
- In a decisive third set, Staff called game with a 6-2 win on Court 3. The sophomore won set one, 6-2, before dropping a close 6-4 second set.
- Lee extended the Commodores’ lead to 5-0 with a convincing third set win on Court 2. After taking set one, 6-4, Lee fell in the second set by a narrow 5-7 margin before storming back to clinch the fifth point of the afternoon for Vanderbilt with a 6-4 third set victory.
- Dasha Kourkina fought hard on Court 6, taking a pair of close sets (6-4 and 7-5) to clinch the Dores’ sixth point of the match.
- Stevens dropped a close contest on Court 5, 6-7(9) and 4-6, for the 6-1 final Friday afternoon.
Up Next
The Commodores return to the Currey Tennis Center next weekend when they host South Carolina (April 1) and Florida (April 3).
