NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt women’s tennis defeated Oklahoma in the ITA Kick-off championship match, 4-3, clinching a spot for the Commodores in the 2019 ITA National Team Indoors Championship.
The Dores starting doubles lineup featured veteran duo Emily Smith and Fernanda Contreras on court one, junior Christina Rosca and senior Summer Dvorak on court two and Georgia Drummy and Emma Kurtz on court three.
Commodore pair Rosca/Dvorak earned the Dores’ first win of the day, defeating Oklahoma’s Martina Capurro and Camila Romera, 7-5.
Oklahoma took the doubles point over the Dores, clinching the point on court 3 with the Sooners’ duo of Korashvili/Motosono winning in a set tie break over Drummy/Kurtz, 7-6 (5).
Opening up singles, the Dores earned the first set over the Sooners on three of five courts.
Winning the first point for the Commodores and earning her second consecutive singles victory of the tournament, freshman Georgia Drummy sank Oklahoma’s Camila Romero in a straight-set win, 6-3, 6-4, coming back to win after trailing 0-5 in the beginning of the match.
Competing on court one for the Dores, No. 6-ranked Fernanda Contreras held Oklahoma’s Martina Capurro to two games in the first set, earning a 6-2 win over the Sooner. Contreras cut the second match close but ultimately defeated Capurro in a set tie break, 7-6 (6). Contreras’ victory earned the Dores’ second point of the day, tying the overall match with Oklahoma, 2-2.
Vanderbilt’s third point of the match came courtesy of senior Summer Dvorak as she battled against Ivana Corely, earning a close 7-6 win in the first set followed by a dominant 6-2 defeat in the second. That earned the senior Dvorak her third victory in the ITA Kick-off.
Heading into the final match of the championship, the Dores were tied 3-all with the Sooners. The final match point came down to the match between Emily Smith and Oklahoma’s Kianah Motosono. With the match coming down to the wire, Smith went all out and defeated Motosono in a straight-set, 6-2, 6-2 defeat.
With Saturday’s victory over Oklahoma, the Commodores advanced to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle, Washington February 8-11.
“I am thrilled to go to Seattle. It is going to be really fun to take the team. We have never played in the state of Washington so this will be a first for the Dores. It’s an early national championship, it is a great learning and toughening experience. I am really grateful and looking forward to this opportunity,” Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald.
The Commodores are back in action next Saturday at the Vanderbilt Currey Tennis Center hosting North Carolina followed by Northwestern on Sunday.
Keep up with the No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt women’s team as they look to continue their successful run by following @VandyWTennis on Twitter and Instagram.
