March 12, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 11 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team continues conference play on the road this weekend, traveling to Knoxville to take on in-state rival Tennessee Friday at 3:00 p.m. CT. On Sunday the `Dores head to Athens, Ga. to face-off against the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m.
“The rivalry between Vanderbilt and Tennessee is a great, respectful, friendly, highly competitive rivalry, said head coach Geoff Macdonald. “It’s Vanderbilt verses Tennessee so both teams come up a level in play, and we’re playing them in Knoxville, which is always a challenge. We respect their coaches immensely and we’re looking forward to playing them probably indoors Friday evening and hopefully get a good crowd. And then for the rest of the weekend we head down to Georgia, which is a great place to play… one of the premiere programs in the country. It should be a heck of an SEC tennis week.”
Vandy heads into the weekend boasting an 8-4 overall record and undefeated 3-0 start to conference play. The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team continued its conference success this past weekend in their first SEC road test, defeating the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats; 4-2. The win over UK was the `Dores 14th straight victory over the Wildcats.
In doubles, No. 33 Ashleigh Antal and Astra Sharma remain undefeated with a 4-0 mark since teaming up in mid-February. Junior Courtney Colton owns a perfect 3-0 start to conference play with wins in the No. 2 and three spots of the VU lineup.
Five Commodores were listed in the latest ITA singles rankings with Sydney Campbell leading the quartet at No. 9. Following Campbell are Marie Casares (72), Astra Sharma (77), Courtney Colton (84) and Frances Altick (96). The `Dores also have four doubles pairings in the rankings; Colton/Campbell (15), Antal/Sharma (30), Antal/Casares (41) and Atlick/Sharma (66).
Scouting the Vols:
The Tennessee Volunteers currently own an 8-8 record and 0-4-conference slate. Friday’s meeting between the Commodores and Volunteers is the 57th time the two programs have squared off. Tennessee leads the series 34-22, but was swept last year in a 4-0 Commodore victory.
Last weekend the Vols were swept in both of last weekend’s conference matches against the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide. The Volunteers own a 6-4 home court advantage.
The Vols boast one ranked doubles team in No. 33 Joanna Henderson and Caitlyn Williams. The duo has played consistently in the No. 1 spot of the Volunteer lineup, suffering three-straight losses in conference play.
For live scoring of Friday’s matchup between Vanderbilt and Tennessee click .
Scouting the Bulldogs:
The Bulldogs come into this weekend’s action with a 10-4 (3-1) record. Prior to playing the Commodores on Sunday, UGA hosts No. 22 Kentucky. Like the Commodores, UGA holds a perfect mark at home. The Dogs have suffered one conference loss thus far, which came in a 5-2 defeat at Alabama.
UGA leads the series over the `Dores, 30-9. Last season the Commodores went 1-1 against the Dogs, coming out victorious in Nashville with a 4-2 win in regular season play. Later in April UGA leveled the score, as VU fell 4-1 in the semifinals of the SEC tournament.
In singles action UGA has six student-athletes ranked in the latest ITA release. Lauren Herring leads the Bulldogs at No. 11, followed by Hannah King (55), Ellen Perez (56), Kennedy Shaffer (58), Silvia Garcia (102), and Mariana Gould (109). In tandems the Bulldogs’ Herring and Perez come in at No. 16, with Garcia and Shaffer at No. 20.
For live scoring of Sunday’s matchup between Vanderbilt and Georgia click .