NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team was unable to hold off second-ranked University of Florida Sunday afternoon, falling 7-0 at the Currey Tennis Center.
The Commodores came out strong in doubles but was unable to top Florida’s performance. The teams split the matches on courts one and three, with Keilly Ulery and Chelsea Preeg coming away with an 8-6 win in the No. 3 match. Jackie Wu and Lauren Mira battled with Florida’s Lauren Embree and Joanna Mather to a 7-7 tie on court two, but the Dores were unable to win the next two games and the Gators won the doubles point.
Although the Commodores played tough in singles, they were unable to match the play of the Gators top six players, all of who are ranked by the ITA. Preeg dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Allie Will, who is ranked sixth in the nation. Alex Leatu fell 7-6(3), 6-1 to Embree in the No. 1 match.
Florida’s Sofie Oyen clinched the match for the visitors with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Wu on court three. After dropping her first set, 6-1, Ulery fought in the second set to force a tiebreaker, but Oliva Janowicz prevailed for a 7-5 win in court six. Rachael Dillon was the only Commodore to win her first set, 6-3, but was unable to hold off Alex Cercone and dropped a 6-3, 3-6, 3-6 decision on court two.
Mira’s match against Joanna Mather on court four took over two hours, but Florida completed its sweep with a 7-5, 6-3, 1-0(10-6) win.
The Commodores hit the road for their final three matches of the season. Vanderbilt travels to LSU and Arkansas next weekend before ending the season at Kentucky April 16.
