OXFORD, Miss. – The 11th-ranked Vanderbilt women’s tennis team improved to 4-1 in SEC play on Friday with a 4-3 win over No. 38 Ole Miss, at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center in Oxford, Miss.
The Commodores (11-4, 4-1 SEC) got off to an early 1-0 lead, winning the doubles point over the Rebels.
“It was a really good match,” said Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald. “Give Ole Miss credit, every time we play this team it’s a battle and today was no different.”
Georgina Sellyn and Frances Altick picked up the first win at No. 3, 8-4, before Ashleigh Antal and Marie Casares clinched the point with a 8-5 win at No. 2.
“I thought Ashleigh (Antal) and Marie’s (Casares) win at No. 2 doubles was huge,” Macdonald said. “They fought really hard to win the match and I think it gave us a lot of momentum going into singles.”
No. 38 Lauren Mira and Courtney Colton went unfinished.
In singles, Ole Miss evened the score at one when Erin Stephens knocked off Lauren Mira, in straight sets at No. 6.
Casares put the `Dores back on top extending her nations best win streak to 17, winning in straight-sets 6-4, 6-2 over Iris Verboven.
Sellyn fell at No. 1 to make it 2-2, but Sydney Campbell and Altick posted back-to-back wins to clinch it for the Commodores.
Campbell won at No. 2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 and then not even a minute later Altick clinched it 7-6 (2), 6-4 at No. 3.
The Rebels picked up their final point of the day with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 win over No. 92 Courtney Colton at No. 5.
The Commodores will be back in action on Sunday against Mississippi State.
#11 Vanderbilt 4, #38 Ole Miss 3
Singles competition
1. Zalina Khairudinova (OM) def. #63 Georgina Sellyn (VU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Sydney Campbell (VU) def. Caroline Rohde-Moe (OM) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
3. Frances Altick (VU) def. Julia Jones (OM) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
4. Mai El Kamash (OM) def. #92 Courtney Colton (VU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
5. Marie Casares (VU) def. Iris Verboven (OM) 6-4, 6-2
6. Erin Stephens (OM) def. Lauren Mira (VU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Iris Verboven/Erin Stephens (OM) vs. #38 Courtney Colton/Lauren Mira (VU) 7-7, unfinished
2. Ashleigh Antal/Marie Casares (VU) def. Caroline Rohde-Moe/Marija Milutinovic (OM) 8-5
3. Frances Altick/Georgina Sellyn (VU) def. #55 Zalina Khairudinova/Julia Jones (OM) 8-4
Match Notes:
Vanderbilt 11-4, 4-1 SEC; National ranking #11
Ole Miss 7-5, 1-4 SEC; National ranking #38
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,1,2,3,4)