April 11, 2013
NASHVILLE – No. 18 Vanderbilt wraps up the SEC regular season with visits from No. 27 South Carolina on Friday, April 12 at 3:30 p.m. CT and the second-ranked Florida Gators on Sunday, April 14 at 12:30 p.m. Both matches will be at the Currey Tennis Center and admission is free.
Sunday’s match will also mark Senior Day for the Commodores, as Vanderbilt will recognize Megan Gornet before the match.
Time Change
The match versus South Carolina was originally scheduled at 4 p.m., but has been moved to 3:30 p.m. CT, while Sunday’s match versus Florida has been moved to 12:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
No. 18 Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky in the only match over the weekend for the Commodores, 5-2. To begin the match, Vanderbilt (13-9, 6-5) used a couple different doubles combinations en route to winning the doubles point. In the No. 2 position, Frances Altick and Ashleigh Antal defeated Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff and CeCe Witten, 8-5. In No. 3 doubles, Marie Casares and Georgina Sellyn needed little time to defeat Khristina Blajkevitch and Jessica Stiles, 8-2. Vanderbilt clinched the match by winning singles matches at position Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6. Courtney Colton delivered the match-clinching win in the No. 2 position. Playing in the No. 4 spot, Sellyn recorded her fifth-consecutive win after breezing through her match with Kirsten Lewis, 6-0, 6-0. Sellyn is 21-6 overall this season and 10-1 in SEC play.
Vanderbilt Notables
- Mira and Sellyn are both ranked in the ITA Singles Rankings at Nos. 59 and 83, respectively.
- Mira and Courtney Colton are the 21st-ranked doubles team in ITA Doubles Rankings.
- Antal is a team-best 16-3 in dual play and 9-2 in SEC play.
- Sellyn sports a team best SEC record of 10-1 and has won five-consecutive singles matches.
- Three Commodores (Antal, Colton and Sellyn) have at least 20 wins on the season.
Vanderbilt is one of 12 schools that have both their men’s and women’s programs ranked inside the top 25.
About No. 27 South Carolina (13-8, 6-5)
No. 27 South Carolina extended its SEC unbeaten streak to four matches over the weekend by defeating Mississippi State 4-3 and No. 37 Ole Miss 4-0. The Gamecocks now sit 13-8 on the season as a whole and are back above .500 in the SEC for the first time this season at 6-5. Mississippi State pushed the Gamecocks to the brink, but Elixane Lechemia came through with a three set victory against Alexandra Perper at No. 2 singles, winning 7-5 in the third in the last match remaining on court. South Carolina came from behind versus Ole Miss in doubles despite trailing 7-3 on court two and 5-2 on court three after winning the No. 1 doubles contest. Lechemia and Ximena Siles Luna won six of seven games at No. 3 doubles to clinch the point with an 8-6 triumph. Lechemia then earned her first career win over a ranked player in No. 82 Mai El Kamash to put Carolina head 2-0. Jaklin Alawi pro- vided the fourth point with an upset of No. 45 Caroline Rohde-Moe at No. 1 singles in straight sets. Alawi is the 77th-ranked player in the latest ITA Singles Rankings followed by Katerina Popova at No. 108. Alawi and Dominika Kanakova rank No. 35 in doubles.
About No. 2 Florida (17-2, 10-1)
Florida (17-2, 10-1 SEC) closed its regular-season home slate last weekend with sweeps over Ole Miss (7-0) and Mississippi State (4-0). The second win was Florida’s 10th consecutive overall victory, as well as its 119th straight win at home and its 124th regular-season win at home which includes a 12-0 home record this year. Included among the astonishing home win streak is the 53-0 dual match home record compiled with the help of Lauren Embree and Caroline Hitimana, who have respectively won 33 and 32 dual match singles matches. The Gators place seven players in the latest ITA singles rankings, led by the No. 1 player in the country, Lauren Embree. Sofie Oyen comes in at No. 13, followed by Alex Cercone at No. 57, Brianna Morgan at No. 104, Danielle Collins at No. 113, Hitmana at No. 120 and Olivia Janowicz at No. 125. Embree and Oyen team up to form the 17th-ranked doubles team, while Embree and Collins rank 47th.
Live Scoring
Fans can follow the action live by clicking for both matches. Also be sure to follow the Commodores on Twitter at @Vandywtennis.
Up Next
Vanderbilt’s next action will be in the 2013 SEC Championships hosted by Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., April 18-21.
