BERKELEY, Calif. — Vanderbilt women’s tennis opened the ITA Kickoff weekend with a win over San Diego, 4-1, Friday night.
After helping to clinch the doubles point early, Marcella Cruz reigned victorious in a thrilling three-set match at No. 5 singles to send Vandy to the championship tilt against Cal, Saturday.
Seeing Double
- The Commodore duo of Anessa Lee and Dasha Kourkina soared to a quick 6-0 victory at No. 3 doubles over Claudia De Las Heras and Victoria Kalaitzis of USD.
- On the top doubles court, Anna Ross and Holly Staff dropped a tightly contested 6-3 set to Abigail Desiatnikov and Jordan McBride.
- Cruz and Yufei Long teamed up at No. 2 doubles to clinch the first point of the match, taking a 6-3 victory after a long rally for set point.
Singles Surge
- Staff finished first at singles, dropping a pair of sets at No. 4, 6-1 and 6-2.
- Lee took her first set, 6-3, over Torero opponent Desiatnikov before rolling to a 6-2 second set victory to reclaim the Vanderbilt lead (2-1).
- Ross jumped out to an early lead on Solymar Colling at No. 1 singles before Colling knotted things up 5-5. The two traded points to head to the tiebreak through one set where Ross clinched a 7-6(3) score. She followed it up with a 6-4 victory in set two for the Commodores’ third point of the night.
- Marcella Cruz carried the team to victory with her three-set victory at No. 5 singles. The junior took the first set with ease, 6-2, before dropping a tightly contested 6-4 second set. With three courts still in action, Cruz finished it off for the Dores when she clinched a 6-3 victory in the third set for the 4-1 final.
- Yufei Long was in the midst of her deciding third set when the match was called. She finished with a split, taking set one 6-4 before a 0-6 loss in the second.
- After dropping her first set, 0-6, Dasha Kourkina rallied to a 7-6(4) victory to force the a third set on court six.
Up Next
The Commodores will conclude the ITA Kickoff Weekend in the championship contest against fourth-ranked Cal, set for 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29.
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