NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 12 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team showed no ill effects from a 19-day layoff as they easily defeated East Tennessee State 6-1 on Friday afternoon at the Currey Tennis Center. The Commodores improved to 6-0 with the win, while ETSU dropped to 1-4.
“ETSU has a really good team,” Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald said. “It was good to get a match under our belts outside. I think we handled the shift pretty well.”
Playing outside for the first time in the spring season, the Commodores quickly secured the doubles point. Caroline Ferrell and Keilly Ulery easily defeated Whitney Trotter and Vita Moskaliova 8-2 at the No. 3 doubles position. Catherine Newman and Taka Bertrand clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 win over Tara Byrne and Tara Sheets at the second doubles position. Playing at the No. 1 doubles position for the first time this season, Amanda Taylor and Courtney Ulery won over Yevgeniya Stupak and Olya Batsula 8-5.
Ferrell made quick work of Moskaliova at No. 6 singles with a dominating 6-0, 6-1 win to put Vanderbilt up 2-0. The senior from Blythewood, S.C., improved to 6-0 on the season with the victory.
No. 24 Newman gave the Commodores their third point with an equally impressive 6-1, 6-0 win over Byrne at No. 2 singles.
Bertrand clinched the match for the Black and Gold with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Sheets in the fourth singles position. The win improved Bertrand’s singles record to 5-1.
Keilly Ulery quickly followed with the fifth point for the `Dores as she did not lose a game in her 6-0, 6-0 win over Trotter at No. 5 singles.
“I’m excited about having Keilly in our program,” Macdonald said. “She’s just a dynamite player. She’s going to get better and better and better.”
No. 13 Courtney Ulery earned her sixth singles win of the year as she defeated Batsula 6-2, 7-5 at the third singles position.
No. 24 Taylor suffered the only loss of the day for the Commodores in a hard-fought match against Stupak at the No. 1 singles position. After losing the first set 6-3, Taylor bounced back with a 6-2 win in the second set. Stupak was able to win a 10-point tiebreaker in the third set 12-10 for the win.
Vanderbilt returns to action on Wednesday, February 20, as it faces another in-state foe in Middle Tennessee State. The match is Vanderbilt’s last match before beginning Southeastern Conference play on February 29 against Florida. Opening serve against MTSU is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Currey Tennis Center.
Friday’s Results:
No. 12 Vanderbilt 6, East Tennessee State 1
Doubles Play:
1. Amanda Taylor/Courtney Ulery (VU) def. Yevgeniya Stupak/Olya Batsula (ETSU) – 8-5
2. Taka Bertrand/Catherine Newman (VU) def. Tara Byrne/Tara Sheets (ETSU) – 8-4
3. Caroline Ferrell/Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Whitney Trotter/Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) – 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles Play:
1. Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) def. No. 34 Amanda Taylor (VU) – 6-3, 2-6, (12-10)
2. No. 24 Catherine Newman (VU) def. Tara Byrne (VU) – 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 13 Courtney Ulery (VU) def. Olya Batsula (VU) – 6-2, 7-5
4. Taka Bertrand (VU) def. Tara Sheets (ETSU) – 6-0, 6-1
5. Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Whitney Trotter (ETSU) – 6-0, 6-0
6. Caroline Ferrell (VU) def. Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) – 6-0, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 4, 5, 3, 1
Updated Team Records: Vanderbilt 6-0; East Tennessee State 1-4
