WACO, Texas – For the second time in Vanderbilt history, the women’s tennis team will play in the NCAA National Championship. Taking place at the Hurd Tennis Center, the fourth-seeded Commodores take on the seventh-seeded and 2014 National Champion UCLA Bruins.
Monday night the No. 4 Vanderbilt Commodores swept the No. 1 USC Trojans 4-0 on the Grandstand Courts of the Hurd Tennis Center at Baylor University.
Like SECs, the road to the finals wasn’t easy, with their NCAA journey filled with inclement weather, delays and of course the No. 1 team in the country. But bad weather and challenging opponents is old hat to this squad. The ‘Dores, who had one of the most grueling schedules in college tennis prevailed once again, delivering USC, now 25-3, their first sweep of the season when it mattered most.
In doubles action the ‘Dores sprinted to a one-match lead as No. 20 Courtney Colton and Sydney Campbell defeated No. 19 Olmos and Scandalis on court one with a score of 8-2.
The remaining two courts were battling to give Vanderbilt the one-point advantage into singles play. Relying on mighty serves and quick hands at the net, VU’s 18th-ranked Astra Sharma and Ashleigh Antal registered their 19th victory. With the victory, it gave VU the second doubles win to clinch the doubles point.
Reminiscent to the ‘Dores 2001 tournament journey, following doubles action lightning struck in the area, which sent both teams to their locker rooms to prepare for singles action.
With match play resuming several minutes later, the ‘Dores established a quick 3-0 lead as Colton and Frances Altick had powerful performances on courts four and three respectively.
Colton absolutely charged through her first set against No. 57 Madison Westby, only allowing the Trojan one game. In one of her best performances of the season, the junior Commodore continued handing Westby unreturnable shots, to garner the ‘Dores first singles win; 6-1, 6-2.
Physically, Altick is one of the smallest players on the Commodore squad, but on the court the Monroe, La., native goes for every single ball, every single time. A workhorse in the truest sense of the term, Altick dominated No. 38 Zoe Scandalis on court three 6-2, 6-2.
With the 3-0 lead over the Trojans, the ‘Dores looked for just one more win to advance to the NCAA championships.
Marie Casares dropped her first set 6-4 to No. 78 Gabby Smith, but fighting like it could be her last match with the Black and Gold, the senior Quito, Ecuador, native established a resilient comeback to take the second set 6-2.
With courts one, two, and five all split, and Antal fighting in her second set the ‘Dores knew it was now or never.
Both Sharma and Campbell flipped the switch on courts one and two, racing to see who would complete the semifinal victory as both were on match point simultaneously.
It appeared Campbell would clinch it first, but dropped match point twice on court one, putting Sharma in the position to seal the VU win for the second match in a row.
The Perth, Australia native clinched the VU victory on court two with a monumental 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 match, cementing Vanderbilt’s spot in the National Championship.
Results:
Doubles (Order of finish: 1, 2)
- #20 Courtney Colton/Sydney Campbell (VANDERBILT) def. #24 Zoe Katz/Sabrina Santamaria (USC); 8-2
- #18 Ashleigh Antal/Astra Sharma (VANDERBILT) def. #19 Giuliana Olmos/Zoe Scandalis (USC); 8-6
- Gabby Smith/Madison Westby (USC) vs. Marie Casares/Frances Altick (VANDERBILT); 6-5
Singles (Order of finish: 4, 3, 2)
- #24 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) vs. #8 Sydney Campbell (VANDERBILT); 3-6, 6-3, 4-5, UF
- #42 Astra Sharma (VANDERBILT) def. #14 Giuliana Olmos (USC); 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
- #96 Frances Altick (VANDERBILT) def. #38 Zoe Scandalis (USC); 6-2, 6-2
- #61 Courtney Colton (VANDERBILT) def. #57 Madison Westby (USC); 6-1, 6-2
- #78 Gabby Smith (USC) vs. #120 Marie Casares (VANDERBILT); 6-4, 2-6, 2-3, UF
- #79 Meredith Xepoleas (USC) vs. Ashleigh Antal (VANDERBILT); 6-4, 6-7 (6), UF
