NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Before the No. 11 Commodores head to National Team Indoors for the third time in a row, Vanderbilt had one last test in the No. 58 Memphis Tigers.
Vanderbilt dominated Memphis, defeating the Tigers 7-0. The `Dores have not allowed a single point in dual match play with its 4-0 win over Harvard and 5-0 win over Texas. Vanderbilt now owns a 3-0 start to the season.
“I thought it was a really good team effort and a nice momentum builder going into team indoors up in Charlottesville,” said head coach Geoff Macdonald. “I’m very pleased, Memphis is really good in a couple positions and I thought we out-worked and out-competed a great team.”
Both doubles and singles were played out against the Tigers; meaning that when the match could have been clinched at 4-0, both coaching staffs decided to keep play going until the completion of all matches.
“It was great for Georgina Sellyn to get in a match. She got some matches down at the tournament in Miami, but didn’t get to play much in the Kick-Off. She’s a huge part of our team, and it’s great for her to get that result. Ashleigh (Antal) was cruising when her opponent pulled out, but I thought she did a great job. Also, number three doubles played extraordinarily well for us.”
The Commodores played very confident tennis throughout doubles, taking courts two and three in easy 6-2, 6-1 wins respectively. Vandy’s No. 32 tandems team solidified the doubles sweep with a 6-4 win over Anki Wind and Alyssa Hibberd.
With the doubles point in Vanderbilt’s possession the `Dores took the courts for six singles showdowns.
Astra Sharma made quick work on court five, as the Aussie defeated Memphis’ Hibberd; 6-3, 6-0.
Junior Georgina Sellyn generated her first dual-match point for the Commodores in the 2015 season. Sellyn, a native of Glasgow, Scotland defeated Kathryn Hughes; 6-2, 6-3.
Frances Altick carried over her success from doubles, coming out victorious in her match against Marta Morga; 6-4, 6-4.
Ashleigh Antal was putting on an exhibition in the number six singles position, taking the first set 6-0. The senior was up a game in the second set, but her match was retired due to the forfeit of her opponent.
Ranked as the No. 15 player in the country, Sydney Campbell continued her success, defeating Anki Wind at No. 1 singles. For the first time in dual season Campbell was taken to three sets, but sill came out victorious for the Commodores for the sixth time in a row; 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
In the last singles match of the day, Courtney Colton was taken to a tiebreaker against Liza Tynchenko on court two. The junior finished out her first match of the regular season; 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(6).
With additional experience now under their belt, the Commodores will begin preparations for the National Team Indoor Championships. Tournament play begins Feb. 5th on the courts of the alma mater of head coach Macdonald, the University of Virginia.
Vanderbilt 7, Memphis 0
Doubles
Finish: 3, 2, 1
1) No. 32 Sydney Campbell/Courtney Colton (VU) def. Anki Wind/Alyssa Hibberd (Mem); 6-4
2) Ashleigh Antal/Marie Casares (VU) def. Marta Morga/Liza Tymchenko (Mem); 6-2
3) Frances Altick/Astra Sharma (VU) def. Kathryn Hughes/Tara McElroy (Mem); 6-1
Singles
Finish: 4, 5, 3, 6, 1, 2
1) Sydney Campbell (VU) def. Anki Wind (Mem); 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
2) Courtney Colton (VU) def. Liza Tymchenko (Mem); 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (6)
3) Frances Altick (VU) def. Marta Morga (Mem); 6-4, 6-4
4) Astra Sharma (VU) def. Alyssa Hibberd (Mem); 6-3, 6-0
5) Georgina Sellyn (VU) def. Kathryn Hughes (Mem); 6-2, 6-3
6) Ashleigh Antal (VU) def. Tara McElroy (Mem); 6-1, 1-0, ret.
