Sept. 17, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After just winning the National Championship in May, the women’s tennis team is back in action. With two separate tournaments this weekend, seven student-athletes head to Malibu, Calif. and Miami, Fla. to represent Vanderbilt.
In late August three `Dores were selected to compete in the inaugural Oracle/ITA Masters. Hosted by Pepperdine University at the Malibu Racquet Club, Vandy is looking forward to taking part in the first national collegiate championship of the 2015-16 season.
No. 7 Sydney Campbell and NCAA and SEC tournament MVP, No. 14 Astra Sharma, will both be competing in singles action against a field set with 16 of the best Division I collegiate women’s tennis players in the country.
In doubles action, Courtney Colton joins Campbell as the duo makeup the fourth-ranked team in the nation.
Back on the east coach, Fernanda Contreras and Summer Dvorak will be making their Commodore debuts in the Miami Fall Invite. Joined by seniors No. 49 Frances Altick and Ellie Yates, the quartet will compete against players from Miami, Georgia Tech, Pittsburg, Auburn and Ohio State.
“I know Summer (Dvorak) and Fernanda (Contreras) are excited about competing in their first tournament as Commodores,” said associate head coach Aleke Tsoubanos, “and along with that I’m sure will come some nerves and butterflies. Our focus for them as with the older players is to compete as hard as they can. We focus on the things we can control, effort, attitude, energy, and let the results be what they are.”
With five of the six participating teams ending their seasons in the ITA top 40, the Commodores will take away from the weekend some invaluable matches and experiences that makes fall tennis so crucial to dual match success.
“I think it’s great to have Frances (Altick) and Ellie (Yates) coming down. It’ll be a good test for them to see where they are amongst some great early competition. This is normally a week earlier than we begin our fall tournaments but we’ve had good practices and fitness workouts so I’m eager to see where we are. We intentionally paired the freshmen with the seniors in doubles they can help mentor and teach them as we go; they will be great role models.”
Oracle/ITA Tournament Field
Women’s Singles Competitor List
No. 3; Julia Elbaba, Virginia
No. 4; Maegan Manasse, California
No. 6; Stephanie Wagner, Miami (FL)
No. 7; Sydney Campbell, Vanderbilt
No. 8; Danielle Collins, Virginia
No. 9; Hayley Carter, North Carolina
No. 10; Giuliana Olmos, USC
No. 11; Joana Eidukonyte, Clemson
No. 12; Viktoriya Lushkova, Oklahoma State
No. 13; Sinead Lohan, Miami (FL)
No. 14; Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
No. 16; Klara Fabikova, California
No. 18; Rachel Pierson, Texas A&M
No. 19; Ronit Yurovsky, Michigan
No. 53; Kiah Generette, Baylor
Luisa Stefani, Pepperdine
Women’s Doubles Competitor List
No. 3; Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr, California
No. 4; Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton, Vanderbilt
No. 8; Matea Cutura/Christina Maddox, Pepperdine
No. 9; Mami Adachi/Aldila Sutjiadi, Kentucky
No. 15; Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay, North Carolina
Giuliana Olmos/Gabby Smith, USC