March 5, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After competing on the road for over a month, the 8th ranked women’s tennis team is back in the Music City. The Commodores have a big match on their hands Sunday, March 6th, as the squad opens up SEC play against the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats.
Sunday’s matinee kicks off at 1:00 pm CT with action taking place at the Currey Tennis Center. Admission is free for all fans.
VU heads into conference play with a 7-2 record. The Commodores have only lost to one team this season, falling twice to the now top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The Dores come off a big 5-2 victory over the Baylor Bears at one of the team’s favorite venues the Hurd Tennis Center.
Three ranked singles players will take the court for the black and gold this weekend, with recent SHAPE Magazine Invite champion, Frances Altick, leading the trio at No. 16 in the nation.
Altick is joined in the Oracle/ITA rankings by Astra Sharma and Sydney Campbell, who both crack the top-25. Sharma, who boasts an undefeated 5-0 record on the spring, comes in at No. 23, with Campbell following at No. 25.
In doubles, No. 9Courtney Colton and Campbell continue to bring necessary strength and stability to the Commodores rocky doubles play. Vanderbilt won the doubles point in five of their nine matches, but have failed to earn the point advantage in their last three competitions.
Kentucky heads to West End on a 10-match win streak, the team’s only loss of dual competition came from Michigan, 4-3.
The Commodores will have a challenge in tandems against the Wildcats, as UK brings the No. 2 team in the country to the court. Veterans Aldila Sutjiadi and Mami Adachi have been a threat since the duos inception last season, where the pair recorded three top ten wins and advanced to Sweet 16 at NCAA Championships.
In singles, the Cats have two ranked players with Sutjiadi coming in at No. 95 and Adachi following at No. 104.