NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a tough battle of two top-25 teams, No. 21 Vanderbilt knocked off the 14th-ranked Northwestern Wildcats, 4-2, Thursday night at the Currey Tennis Center.
The season is young and this year’s Vanderbilt squad is young, but that doesn’t seem to faze the Commodores, who are now 3-0 on the year after a hard fought win over a talented Northwestern (2-1) squad.
“Northwestern is a great team,” said Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald. “I think Lauren (Mira) winning at No. 1 (singles) against an All-American, Kate Turvy, was important. Frances (Altick) just played a beautiful match. I was impressed with our whole team.”
The match came down to singles at positions No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 and two freshmen delivered for Vanderbilt.
In a tough three-set match at the No. 4 position, Georgina Sellyn came away with a win for the Commodores to give Vanderbilt a 3-2 lead. The Glasgow, Scotland, native defeated NU’s Brittany Wowchuk, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. Sellyn improved to 8-2 overall this season with her victory.
After dropping the first set (No. 3 singles) to Belinda Niu, 4-6, Courtney Colton fought back to win the second and third sets, 6-4, 6-3, clinching the match for Vanderbilt. Colton, a Davie, Fla., native improved to 13-3 on the season, which is a team-best.
Northwestern took the doubles point with wins in the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. No. 42 Linda Abu Mushrefova and Nida Hamilton defeated Lauren Mira and Courtney Colton, 8-5, in No. 1 doubles. In No. 3 doubles, Niu and Kate Turvy took down Sellyn and Frances Altick, 8-4.
Ashleigh Antal and Marie Casares ran their dual record in doubles to 3-0 after defeating Veronica Corning and Alicia Barnett, 8-4, for the lone Vanderbilt doubles victory. Antal and Casares were down 4-1, before winning the final seven games.
Fresh off SEC Player of the Week honors, Mira continued her stellar play. Playing in No. 1 singles, Mira defeated No. 67 Turvy, 6-4, 6-3. The Baton Rouge, La., native is 5-1 in singles competition this spring.
At No. 2 singles, Northwestern’s (Veronica) Corning defeated Casares, 7-6(3), 6-1, to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. Just minutes later, Altick evened up the score, 2-2, after her win in No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-2.
The Commodores have a quick turnaround as they travel to Atlanta, Ga., to face No. 22 Georgia Tech on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.
Singles Results
1. Lauren Mira (Vanderbilt) def. No. 67 Kate Turvy (NU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Veronica Corning (NU) def. No. 91 Marie Casares (Vanderbilt) 7-6(3), 6-1
3. No. 102 Courtney Colton (Vanderbilt) def. Belinda Niu (NU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Georgina Sellyn (Vanderbilt) def. Brittany Wowchuk (NU) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
5. No. 115 Frances Altick (Vanderbilt) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ashleigh Antal (Vanderbilt) vs. Linda Abu Mushrefova (NU) 6-1, 4-6, 0-1, unfinished
Doubles Results
1. No. 42 Abu Mushrefova/Hamilton (NU) def. Colton/Mira (Vanderbilt) 8-5
2. Antal/Casares (Vanderbilt) def. Corning/Barnett (NU) 8-4
3. Niu/Turvy (NU) def. Altick/Sellyn (Vanderbilt) 8-4
