LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Vanderbilt’s 42nd-ranked men’s tennis team had its three-match win streak halted on Friday when the Commodores were defeated by No. 11 Louisville, 5-2, on Friday at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.
Playing its third true road match of the season, the Commodores fell to 6-3 on the season, while Louisville improved to 9-2.
The Commodores dug themselves an early 1-0 hole when Louisville was able to win the doubles point by taking two of the three matches. While it was just one point, the doubles point has been especially important to the Commodores this season. In each of Vanderbilt’s nine matches, the team that has won the doubles point has won the overall match.
Unfortunately for the Commodores, the trend would hold true on Friday.
Trailing 1-0, Vanderbilt was able to tie the score at one when Alex Zotov defeated Louisville’s Robert Hall, 6-1, 6-4, in the No. 5 singles position. With the win Zotov moved to 8-0 in dual play.
With the score tied, Louisville would go on to clinch the match by winning four consecutive singles matches to take a 5-1 lead, but the victory did not come as easily as the score indicates. Three of Louisville’s four singles victories went three sets with Vanderbilt winning the first set in all three matches.
The Commodores’ second point came courtesy of Adam Baker, who defeated Andrew Carter, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, in the No. 4 position. Baker is now 7-0 in dual play this spring.
Vanderbilt’s win in doubles play came courtesy of Baker and Zotov, who defeated Simon Childs and Viktor Maksimcuk, 9-8, in the No. 1 position. The win evened the doubles match at one before Louisville clinched the doubles point by winning in the No. 2 doubles slot.
The Commodores will return to action on Feb. 27 when Vanderbilt hosts Furman at 1 p.m. at the Currey Tennis Center.
