ATHENS, Ga. – Competing on the second day of the Southern Intercollegiates, the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team captured six victories, including two in doubles play at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Saturday.
Highlighting Vanderbilt’s day was the play by freshman Alex Zotov, who continued his hot performance by advancing to the quarterfinals of the Division III Singles bracket. Zotov won his lone match on Saturday despite losing the first set to Virginia Tech’s Eduardo Pinto. After dropping the first set (3-6), Zotov won the final two sets in tiebreakers (7-6(8-6), 7-6(7-5)) to advance.
Zotov will play Middle Tennessee State’s Derrick Davidon in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Having won two matches on Friday, sophomore Vijay Paul’s run through the Division I Singles bracket came to an end on Saturday with a 7-6(7-5), 6-1 loss in the round of 32 to Georgia’s Christian Vitulli.
In doubles play, two of Vanderbilt’s four teams advanced to the round of 16 with victories on Saturday.
In the Division I Doubles bracket, the Commodores’ team of Ryan Preston and Andy Pulido topped Citadel’s duo of Dosseter/Eason, 8-4, to advance to the round of 16. Preston and Pulido will play Memphis’ team of Narasimhan/Ramsay on Sunday.
Vanderbilt’s team of Scott Lieberman and Zotov advanced to the round of 16 in the Division II Doubles bracket with a 9-7 win over South Carolina-Upstate’s team of Roux/Tori. Lieberman and Zotov will face Florida’s duo of Cash/Mulligan on Sunday.
In addition to Zotov’s victory in singles, the Commodores earned three victories in consolation play.
In the Division I Singles Consolation bracket, Ryan Preston defeated Wofford’s George Kemodie 6-3, 6-4, in the round of 32.
Adam Baker earned his second win of the tournament with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Samford’s Oliver Reynolds. With the win Baker moved to the round of 16 in the Division II Singles Consolation bracket.
In the Division III Singles Consolation bracket, James Moye won in straight sets over Mercer’s Matthew Davis, 6-1, 6-4.
Falling in doubles action in the round of 32 were Vanderbilt’s teams of Baker and Evan Dufaux, and Moye and Paul.
Baker and Dufaux were downed in the Division I Doubles bracket by South Alabama’s team of Baker/Sramek, 8-1.
Moye and Paul were topped in the Division II Doubles bracket by Samford’s tandem of Abalos/Reynolds, 8-3.
The Southern Intercollegiates is split into three divisions (I, II and III) in singles and two in doubles (I and II).
The Commodores will continue play at the Southern Intercollegiates on Sunday.
Division I Singles
Round of 32
Christian Vitulli (Georgia) def. Vijay Paul (VU) 7-6(7-5), 6-1
Division III Singles
Round of 16
Alex Zotov (VU) def. Eduardo Pinto (Virginia Tech) 3-6, 7-6(8-6), 7-6(7-5)
Division I Singles Consolation
Round of 32
Ryan Preston (VU) def. George Kemodie (Wofford) 6-3, 6-4
Division II Singles Consolation
Round of 32
Adam Baker (VU) def. Oliver Reynolds (Samford) 7-5, 6-3
Division III Singles Consolation
Round of 32
James Moye (VU) def. Matthew Davis (Mercer) 6-1, 6-4
Division I Doubles
Round of 32
Pulido/Preston (VU) def. Dosseter/Eason (Citadel) 8-4
Baker/Sramek (South Alabama) def. Baker/Dufaux (VU) 8-1
Division II Doubles
Round of 32
Lieberman/Zotov (VU) def. Roux/Tori (USC-Upstate) 9-7
AbalosReynolds (Samford) def. Moye/Pulido (VU) 8-3
