COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 24 Vanderbilt Commodores advance to second round action of the 2015 NCAA tournament with a 4-1 victory over the No. 35 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Although the score appears to be a great triumph the Commodores faced several challenges along the way.
“We pulled out a tough win against a good team in Notre Dame,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “Baker (Newman) and Suresh (Eswaran) did a great job to help us clinch the doubles point and Pen (Binet) and Ryan (Smith) gave us the other win we needed.”
In doubles the Commodores tend to have a flair for dramatics, sending you through a wave of emotions. Leading up to NCAAs the `Dores competed in several close tandems matches coming away with the one-point deficit, but not today.
With a chance to advance in NCAA play on the line, the Commodores broke their four-match doubles losing streak in a mighty effort to defeat the Irish on courts two and three.
Ryan Smith and Pen Binet recorded their second ever career win when it mattered most. The duo set the tone for the Commodores, garnering the first win of the day. With the victory on court two, Ryan Smith recorded his first ever-ranked win as he and Binet defeated No. 34 Eddy Covalschi/Josh Hagar 8-5.
With courts one and three battling neck and neck, the Irish’s No. 15 Alex Lawson/Billy Pecor forced No. 5 Gonzales Austin and Rhys Johnson to a tiebreaker. Notre Dame took the match on one 8-7(3) adding pressure to a No. 3 doubles team who were entering a tiebreak of their own.
With Senior Suresh Eswaran and freshman Baker Newman bearing the weight of the doubles point on their shoulders, the duo flipped the switch to win the match on three 8-7(5) to secure the paramount doubles point.
With the sun scorching down on the courts of the Stickney Tennis Center, the `Dores had to mentally prepare for the grind that lay head in singles action.
The `Dores 1-0 lead was quickly extended with a victory on court three by freshman Commodore Daniel Valent. With 31 wins predominantly at the No. 3 spot of the VU lineup, Valent has continued to add support for the `Dores adding crucial points while in tight competition.
“Singles was close, but we pulled out straight set wins at Nos. 3, 4 and 6. Danny, Kris (Yee), and Baker all did a great job and AJ and Rhys helped out momentum by coming back to win the second sets of their matches.”
Notre Dame’s Alex Lawson chipped away at the Vandy lead, generating the Irish’s lone point of the day with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Eswaran. The Commodores could have been in world of hurt, but Austin and Johnson pulled out second set wins on courts one and three.
Freshman Baker Newman registered his 20th win as a Commodore, giving the Commodores a 3-1 advantage. After being down 2-0 in the first set the Miami native only allowed his opponent one additional game to lead 6-3. Newman fought hard throughout the second set, coming out on top 6-4.
Duvenhage said the `Dores would need inspired play today, and that’s what Yee gave as he clinched the Commodore victory taking court four 6-4, 7-5 over Billy Pecor.
Vanderbilt takes on top-seeded Ohio State tomorrow morning at 11:00 am CT in second round action.
Final Results:
#24 Vanderbilt 4, #35 Notre Dame 1
Singles competition
- #10 Gonzales Austin (HOME) vs. #9 Quentin Monaghan (ND) 0-6, 7-6 (7-2), 4-1, unfinished
- Rhys Johnson (HOME) vs. Josh Hagar (ND) 5-7, 6-4, 2-2, unfinished
- #88 Danny Valent (HOME) def. Eddy Covalschi (ND) 6-1, 6-0
- Kris Yee (HOME) def. Billy Pecor (ND) 6-4, 7-5
- Alex Lawson (ND) def. Suresh Eswaran (HOME) 6-2, 6-4
- Baker Newman (HOME) def. Kenneth Sabacinski (ND) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 5, 6, 4
Doubles competition
- #15 Alex Lawson/Billy Pecor (ND) def. #5 Gonzales Austin/Rhys Johnson (HOME) 8-7 (7-3)
- Pen Binet/Ryan Smith (HOME) def. #34 Eddy Covalschi/Josh Hagar (ND) 8-5
- Baker Newman/Suresh Eswaran (HOME) def. Dougie Barnard/Quentin Monaghan (ND) 8-7 (7-5)
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3*
