MT: VU Opens Season with 6-1 Win Over TTU

875225.jpeg

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt men’s tennis team (1-0) opened 2007 dual match season with a 6-1 win over cross-state rival Tennessee Tech (0-2) Wednesday afternoon at the Currey Tennis Center.

The Commodores grabbed an early lead by sweeping the doubles event, holding the Golden Eagles to no more than four games per pro set. Freshmen Scott Lieberman and James Moye were the first to finish, defeating TTU tandem Borja Zarco and Juan Pablo Gomez 8-2.

Freshman Vijay Paul earned the first singles point for the ‘Dores, keeping TTU freshman Alexander Ilyakhian to just three games in two sets (6-3, 6-0). Vanderbilt senior Nathan Sachs followed with a straight set win over Gomez, allowing sophomore Nik Cromydas to clinch the Commodore win with his 6-2, 6-2 victory over TTU junior Zarco.

Andy Mack held the No. 1 singles slot for the Commodores, where he dropped the first set 6-2. Mack retaliated in the second set, winning the tiebreaker, but was unable to continue momentum into the super tiebreaker, where he dropped the contest 10-6.

The Commodores will return to the court this weekend to face Western Michigan at 2 pm Saturday and Memphis at 1 pm on Sunday at the Currey Tennis Center.

RESULTS

Vanderbilt 6, Tennessee Tech 1

Doubles
1. Cromydas/Paul (VU) d. Gilioli/Bennett 8-3
2. Mack/Sachs (VU) d. Ilyakhian/Steyn 8-4
3. Lieberman/Moye (VU) d. Zarco/Gomez 8-2

Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1

Singles
1. Tiago Gilioli (TTU) d. Andy Mack (VU) 6-2, 6-7(6), 10-6
2. Nik Cromydas (VU) d. Borza Zarco (TTU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Nathan Sachs (VU) d. Juan Pablo Gomez (TTU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Vijay Paul (VU) d. Alexander Ilyakhian (TTU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Scott Lieberman (VU) d. Louis Steyn (TTU) 6-4, 6-4
6. James Moye (VU) d. Mitchell Hubert (TTU) 6-2, 6-0

Order of finish: 4, 3, 2*, 5, 6, 1

*Clinchers