TULSA, Okla. – The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team advances to their second-straight NCAA Elite Eight after sweeping conference opponent, the11th-ranked Auburn Tigers, 4-0. The early Thursday morning victory was the first win of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, which is hosted this year by the University of Tulsa at the Michel D. Case Tennis Center.
The win in Tulsa, Okla. comes exactly one year after the Commodores earned their first-ever NCAA women’s tennis tournament title. Vanderbilt now owns a 48-20 all-time NCAA record.
The ‘Dores earned two superb doubles victories on courts three then one to clinch the paramount tandems point. While Fernanda Contreras said she was a bit nervous heading into her first away NCAA match, the freshman and senior partner Georgina Sellyn gave VU a huge boost with a 6-3 win over de Man/Turner.
No. 14 Sydney Campbell and Courtney Colton clinched doubles with an upset win over the 8th-ranked team in the nation with a 6-4-victory over Auburn’s Burgman/Michaud.
With the ‘Dores falling in doubles against the Tigers just last month, the commanding tandems wins gave VU confidence heading into singles play. Vanderbilt went 4-2 in first sets, including an impressive 7-6(0) tiebreaker by redshirt-sophomore, No. 32 Astra Sharma, on court three.
While both Campbell and Frances Altick dropped their first sets at the No. 1 and 2 positions, the two highest ranked Commodores powered back in their second sets to split and keep the Tigers off the board.
The black and gold’s first singles victory in Tulsa came on court five as Contreras played relentless tennis against AU’s de Man, only allowing two games in her 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Up 2-0 and with the second set tight on courts three and four, Colton battled back from first and second set deficits to take her next four games and give Vanderbilt the 3-0 lead. The senior pulled out a tight 6-4, 7-5 victory on court four, her 91st win as a Commodore.
In the 2015 tournament, Sharma, clinched three NCAA matches in a row… So it felt like old times on court three when last season’s tournament MVP clinched Vanderbilt its spot in the Elite Eight. The Perth Australia, native earned her 15th win of the season with a 7-6(0), 6-4 win over AU’s hardworking senior Pleum Bergmans.
Vanderbilt now looks to the 14th-ranked University of Virginia, as the Cavalier squad generated a huge 4-2 upset over No. 3 UNC. Both squads will faceoff Saturday, May 21st, at noon CT.
Results:
Doubles
- #14 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (Vanderbilt) def. #8 Pleun Burgmans/Alizee Michaud (Auburn), 6-4
- Frances Altick/Astra Sharma (Vanderbilt) vs. Andie Dikosavljevic/Alannah Griffin (Auburn), DNF
- Fernanda Contreras/Georgina Sellyn (Vanderbilt) def. Paula de Man/Caroline Turner (Auburn), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles
- #18 Sydney Campbell (Vanderbilt) vs. #20 Andie Dikosavljevic (Auburn), DNF
- #14 Frances Altick (Vanderbilt) vs. #31 Alizee Michaud (Auburn), DNF
- #32 Astra Sharma (Vanderbilt) def. #70 Pleun Burgmans (Auburn), 7-6 (0), 6-4
- Courtney Colton (Vanderbilt) def. Alannah Griffin (Auburn), 6-4, 7-5
- Fernanda Contreras (Vanderbilt) def. Paula de Man (Auburn), 6-1, 6-1
- Georgina Sellyn (Vanderbilt) vs. Caroline Turner (Auburn), DNF
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3
