NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 19 Commodores came up short in a marathon match against the No. 34 Northwestern Wildcats; 4-3. The team used the loss as motivation to turn their doubleheader around, defeating the Belmont Bruins 4-0.
“I told our team that if you go out and play a good match, one that you think is representative of what you’re capable of as a team, and your opponent plays better and you lose you can deal with that. But I told them that what we did out there today was not acceptable,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “It’s not ok that we lost the match. We were not competitive everywhere, which is one of the things we have to be to be successful. Honestly they [ Northwestern] came in here and it looked like they wanted it more than we did. They had more energy and had greater intensity. Consequently, they won the match.”
The Wildcats No. 2 doubles team in the lineup took the first match of the morning, defeating Ryan Smith and Pen Binet; 6-1. After the loss the ‘Dores rallied, pulling out two close wins in the number one and three positions.
The No. 5 doubles team in the country of Gonzales Austin and Rhys Johnson defeated Northwestern’s Pasareanu and Kumar in a 6-4 victory. Suresh Eswaran and Daniel Valent clinched the doubles point for Vanderbilt with a 6-3 victory over the Wildcat’s Schropshire and Horoz.
With the doubles point in the Commodores possession, Vanderbilt took the courts for singles play.
Singles action was no less animated, as the lead meandered back-and-forth from team to team. The Commodores were down 2-1 after losses at number two and five singles, but Daniel Valent’s grueling 7-5, 7-5 win over Mihir Kumar tied the score at two-all.
Gonzales Austin gave VU the edge once more after three sets; 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Junior Kris Yee suffered a 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(2) loss by No. 108 Strong Kirchheimer and the match was tied at three-all
Eswaran and Horoz faced-off yet again with the match resting on their shoulders. Eswaran, a senior, was the true hero of the day as he battled throughout the entire match, which consisted of two tie-breakers.
“It was a really tough one to lose, because Suresh [Eswaran] did a great job of saving five match points and coming back to win the second set. Then it looks like he’s cursing up 3-0, and he starts cramping. It wasn’t a conditioning thing because he wasn’t tired, so that was just unfortunate, but we shouldn’t have been in that position to begin with.”
The Commodores tried to put the loss of their marathon match behind them as the day was not over. Nashville neighbor, Belmont, came to the Currey Tennis Center for the second half of the days doubleheader.
Vandy carried on its doubles success, with easy wins in the first and third spots of the VU lineup.
In singles action, Gonzales Austin finished his match first against the Bruin’s Mauricio Antun coming out with an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory. Ryan Smith recorded his third win of the season earning a 6-1, 6-3 win over Caio Niel.
Daniel Valent polished off the match with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Robin Demasse, sealing the 4-0 sweep for the ‘Dores.
Vanderbilt hits the road for the first time this weekend as they travel to Lexington, Ky for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Commodores will take the courts against South Florida Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET
Northwestern 4, Vanderbilt 3
Doubles
1) #5 Gonzales Austin/Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt) def. Alex Pasareanu/Mihir Kumar (Northwestern); 6-4
2) Fedor Bave/Strong Kirchheimer (Northwestern) def. Ryan Smith/Pen Binet (Vanerbilt); 6-1
3) Suresh Eswaran/Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. Sam Shropshire/Alp Horoz (Northwestern); 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
1) #10 Gonzales Austin def. Sam Shropshire (Northwestern); 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
2) Logan Staggs (Northwestern) def. #77 Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt); 6-1, 6-2
3) #108 Strong Krichheimer (Northwestern) def. Kris Yee (Vanderbilt); 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(2)
4) Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. Mihir Kumar (Northwestern); 7-5, 7-5
5) Fedor Baev (Northwestern) def. Ryan Smith (Vanderbilt); 6-3, 6-3
6) Alp Horos (Northwestern) def. Suresh Eswaran (Vanderbilt); 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 5, 4, 1, 3, 6
Vanderbilt 4, Belmont 0
Doubles
1) #5 Gonzales Austin/Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt) def. Mauricio Antun /Marko Lovrinovic (Belmont); 6-2
2) Ryan Smith/Pen Binet (Vanderbilt) vs. Cedric Dujacquier/Robin Demasse (Belmont); 3-4 unfinished
3) Daniel Valent/Jeffrey Offerdahl (Vanderbilt) def. Geoff Tulloch/Caio Niel (Belmont); 6-0
Order of finish: 3, 1
Singles
1) #10 Gonzales Austin (Vanderbilt) def. Mauricio Antun (Belmont); 6-1, 6-0
2) #77 Rhys Johnson vs. Marko Lovrinovic (Belmont); 3-6, 4-4 unfinished
3) Kris Yee (Vanderbilt) vs. Cedric Dujacquier (Belmont); 6-4, 5-0 unfinished
4) Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. Robin Demasse (Belmont); 6-1, 6-2
5) Ryan Smith (Vanderbilt) def. Caio Niel (Belmont); 6-1, 6-3
6) Jeffrey Offerdahl (Vanderbilt) vs. Bruno Russo (Belmont); 3-1 unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 5, 4
