NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team opened conference play with a 5-2 win over No. 17 Kentucky Sunday afternoon at the Currey Tennis Center.
The 8th ranked Commodores improve to 8-2 on the year and 1-0 in conference play, all while ending the Wildcat’s 10-match win streak.
“We have a lot of respect for Kentucky,” said head coach Geoff Macdonald. “I think they’re one of the most improved teams in the country, so it was a close dual. We knew they were good because we saw them in out regional in October and they’ve gotten some new players who are really good.”
Head coach Geoff Macdonald changed up the doubles lineup, trying out new pairings, which paid off as Astra Sharma and Ellie Yates nearly pulled off the upset against No. 2 Sutjiadi/Adachi. The duo tied the match at 5-5 before ultimately losing 7-5.
“We had chanced at No. 1 with a could of 3-all points and we just got tight. But I thought was that we competed really hard. What I like is that if we don’t get the doubles point we’re not panicking, were playing really god singles. It would be nice to get, and we’re working on it and improving in doubles.”
The Commodores rebounded with a solid singles performance, taking five of six first sets. Georgina Sellyn leveled the score to 1-all in singles play with a 6-3, 6-2 upset over No. 104 Mami Adachi on court five.
No. 25 Sydney Campbell played exceptionally at number one singles, with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 victory over Justina Mikulskyte. Fernanda Contreras continues to have an impressive freshman year with a dominant 6-0, 6-4 win over senior Kirsten Lewis.
Vanderbilt’s lone singles loss came from a hard fought battle on court two, as No. 95 Sutjadi defeated Sharma for the second year in a row by a score of 6-3, 6-4.
With the Commodores up 3-2 in the match, Senior Frances Altick stepped up and clinched her first match of the season by defeating Nadia Ravita 7-5, 6-3.
Even though Vanderbilt clinched, each team agreed to let the match on four finish, as Colton came out on top of Akvile Parazinskaite in a third set tiebreaker; 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(6).
“I’m just really pleased with our fight today. I thought everyone played well, just a good overall day. To single people out I thought Courtney winning there in the end was good. Georgina beating a good player in Adachi was good. Fern did really well a six, and those quick wins put a lot of pressure on Kentucky and any win in this conference is good.”
Vanderbilt is back on the road this week to face the 12th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks Thursday, March 10th, and the No. 15 Florida Gators on Sunday.
RESULTS:
No. 8 Vanderbilt 5, No. 17 Kentucky 2
Doubles:
1) No. 2 Aldila Sutjiadi/Mami Adachi (UK) def. Astra Sharma/Ellie Yates (VU); 7-5
2) Morgan Chumney/Akvile Parazinskaite (UK) def. Sydney Campbell/Fernanda Contreras (VU); 6-4
3) Frances Altick/Courtney Colton (VU) def. Justina Mikulskyte/Nadia Ravita (UK); 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles:
1) No. 25 Sydney Campbell(VU) def. Justina Mikulskyte(UK); 6-3, 6-4
2) No. 95 Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. No. 23 Astra Sharma (VU); 6-3, 6-4
3) No. 16 Frances Altick (VU) def. Nadia Ravita (UK); 7-5, 6-3
4) Courtney Colton (VU) def. Akvile Parazinskaite (UK); 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (6)
5) Georgina Sellyn (VU) def. No. 104 Mami Adachi (UK); 6-3, 6-2
6) Fernanda Contreras (VU) def. Kirsten Lewis (VU); 6-0, 6-4
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 6, 2, 3*, 4
