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Commodores Cruise in First Test of 2005 1/14/2005 The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team played like the No. 6 team in the nation Friday afternoon, as the Dores cruised past the Spartans of Michigan State, 7-0 at the Currey Tennis Center. The senior tandem of Audra Falk and Annie Menees, ranked 35th by the ITA, kick-started the Commodores, taking their 33rd doubles win in the last two seasons alone, 8-2. The No. 2 doubles duo of freshman Taka Bertrand and sophomore Amanda Fish quickly followed suit, doubling up the Spartan pairing of Christine Bader and Keri Thompson, 8-4. The second Vanderbilt victory of the day clinched the doubles point for the Dores. The No. 3 doubles position featured two freshmen in Caroline Ferrell and Amanda Taylor. The young Commodores not only gained valuable experience, but an 8-6 triumph as well. The Commodores clash with the Spartans headed to singles play with the Dores’ needing just three wins in six matches to clinch the contest. They would get all six. Fish, the ITA Summer Circuit Player of the Year in 2003, got the Commodores on the board first with an impressive 6-2, 6-0 lashing of Bader. With the victory, the super sophomore runs her singles record at Vanderbilt to a stellar mark of 30-8. At No. 1 singles, the Commodores featured Falk, the No. 38 ranked player in the nation. Falk would capture her 74th career win at Vanderbilt with her 6-3, 6-3 victory over Thompson. “I felt really good out there today,” said Falk. “I was relaxed, but at the same time was excited to get to play. It’s a nice way to start off the year.” Falk’s senior counterpart Menees would prove to be too much for Michigan State’s Pascale Schnitzer. Menees would outlast the Spartan sophomore in hard-fought sets, 6-3, 6-2. The Commodores would go on to win the remaining matches including freshman Caroline Ferrell’s come-from-behind thriller against MSU’s Jessica Baron. After dropping the first set 6-2, she would take the second 6-3. Ferrell would take the deciding tiebreak 10-7 and become the sixth Commodore singles player to get in the win column. “That was a great start for us,” said Vanderbilt Head Coach Geoff Macdonald. “I was very pleased with the leadership of our upperclassmen and the play of our freshmen, as well. Michigan State is a vastly improved team and this match was a lot closer than 7-0.” The Commodores return to action Sunday to face the nationally ranked Virginia Cavaliers at 11:00 a.m. in the Currey Tennis Center. “Virginia is very, very good”, said Macdonald. “I am looking forward to a great fight. We have to be tough on Sunday.” VU 7, MSU 0 No. 1 Doubles No. 2 Doubles No. 3 Doubles Order of finish: 1, 2, 3 No. 1 Singles No. 2 Singles No. 3 Singles No. 4 Singles No. 5 Singles No. 6 Singles |
