Jan. 15, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Following one of the best seasons in Ian Duvenhage’s tenure at Vanderbilt, the Commodores are excited to get back out on the indoor courts of the Currey Tennis Center. This Saturday, the 25th-ranked Commodores open the 2015-16 season by welcoming the Furman University Paladins and Lipscomb Bison to West End.
Fall Recap:
The No. 25 Vanderbilt Commodores worked hard during tournament season, and look forward to seeing their efforts pay off in dual play. Baker Newman, Daniel Valent and Kris Yee begin the spring with winning records, and only four singles losses to their named.
Valent currently represents VU in the Oracle/ITA polls at No. 64 in the country. The Zurich, Switzerland native is currently riding a six-match win streak, which ties the sophomore’s second longest streak after last season’s 13 consecutive wins.
The ‘Dores debuted three freshmen this past fall; Vikram Chari, Cameron Klinger and Alex Ross. Klinger, alongside then-partner Valent, went 3-0 in doubles at the SEC Men’s Fall classic, winning their flight.
Appraising the Paladins:
Furman returns nine players from last season’s team that posted a 10-16 overall record and a 6-1 mark in Southern Conference play. In their last meeting against the Commodores, the Paladins fell 6-1 at Vandy. With the victory in 2010, VU leads the series 7-1.
Surveying the Bison:
The ‘Dores open up the season for the second year in a row against Nashville neighbor, Lipscomb. Having seen the Bison at the Commodore Scramble, the ‘Dore hope to build off their 8-0 tournament record against the 2016 squad.
Looking ahead:
Following this weekend, the Commodores travel to Durham, N.C. for the ITA Kickoff Weekend. Vanderbilt joins No. 13 Duke, No. 21 Cal and No. 22 San Diego.