Women’s Tennis Fall to Baylor at NCAAs

5/18/2006

STANFORD, Ca. — No. 12 Vanderbilt was unable to upset No. 5 Baylor for the second time this season and fell 4-2 to the Bears in the NCAA Sweet 16.

In doubles, Baylor clinched the point at No.1, where Zuzana Cerna and Daniela Covella took VU’s Taka Bertrand and Amanda Fish to a tiebreaker.

The Commodores couldn’t recover after the point loss, and dropped the top two singles slots in straight set losses. Amanda Taylor and Courtney Ulery took straight set wins at Nos. 3 and 4, but the rally wasn’t enough to take the match victory. Baylor clinched the win at No. 6 when Zuzana Krchnakova defeated VU freshman Maggie Yahner 7-5, 6-3.

The NCAA Sweet 16 mark is the farthest any Vanderbilt varsity sport has made in post-season play so far in the 2005-06 season other than the women’s bowling team, who finished fifth at the NCAA Championships earlier this year.

Baylor will advance to the semifinals to take on the winner of the UCLA/ Florida contest on Friday, May 19.

Vanderbilt’s Amanda Fish and Taka Bertrand will remain at Stanford to compete in the NCAA singles competition following the completion of the team championships.

May 18, 2006

NCAA Championships Round of 16
May 18, 2006
Taube South Courts
Doubles
1. Zuzana Cerna and Daniela Covello (B) def. Taka Bertrand and Amanda Fish (V), 9-8(5) 2. Iva Mihaylova and Klara Zrustova (B) def. Caroline Ferrell and Amanda Taylor (V) 8-4
3. Courtney Ulery and Liberty Sveke (V) led Zuzana Krchnakova and
Zuzana Zemenova (B), 8-7 — DNF
Order of finish: 2, 1

Singles
1. Zuzana Zemenova-6 (B) def. Amanda Fish (V), 6-3, 6-4 2. Zuzana Cerna-16 (B) def. Taka Bertrand (V), 7-5, 6-2 3. Amanda Taylor (V) def. Daniela Covello (B), 6-4, 6-3 4. Courtney Ulery (V) def. Klara Zrustova-95 (B), 6-2, 6-3 5. Iva Mihaylova (B) vs. Caroline Ferrell (V), 6-2, 5-5 — DNF 6. Zuzana Krchnakova (B) vs. Maggie Yahner (V), 7-5, 6-3 Order of finish: 2, 3, 4, 6