NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt started the spring season on the right note, as the 37th-ranked Commodores swept the Butler Bulldogs Friday afternoon, 7-0, at the Currey Tennis Center.
The Commodores (1-0) have now won four-straight opening duals after sweeping Butler (0-4) on Friday.
No. 17 Ryan Lipman recorded a win in the No. 1 spot after defeating Austin Woldmoe, 6-1, 6-0. No. 20 Gonzales Austin also recorded a win in singles action with his first dual victory of the season. Playing in the No. 2 position, Austin defeated Tommy Marx, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 119 Kris Yee registered a win versus Sam O’Neill, 6-4, 6-2. Rhys Johnson then defeated Pulok Bhattacharya, 6-4, 6-4. The two competitors battled back-and-forth before Johnson was able to close the deal to win both sets.
Having only been on campus for a little over two weeks, Marc van der Merwe recorded his first collegiate win against Brandon Woods, 6-2, 7-5. The win for van der Merwe (No. 4 spot) also assured the win for the Commodores against Butler.
Anton Kovrigin finished off the dual match with a convincing win over Billy Weldon, 6-2, 6-1.
Vanderbilt began the dual in doubles action and the Commodores picking up a sweep in all three matches. Lipman and van der Merwe came back to defeat Weldon and Woldmoe, 8-7 (4). Austin and Eswaran defeated Marx and Bhattacharya, 8-3, while Johnson and Kovrigin combined to take down O’Neill and Woods, 8-6.
The Commodores will host No. 52 Michigan State on Saturday at the Currey Tennis Center at noon.
Single Results
1. No. 17 Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) def. Austin Woldmoe (Butler) 6-1, 6-0
2. No. 20 Gonzales Austin (Vanderbilt) def. Tommy Marx (Butler) 6-2, 6-2
3. Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt) def. Pulok Bhattacharya (Butler) 6-4, 6-4
4. Marc van der Merwe (Vanderbilt) def. Brandon Woods (Butler) 6-2, 7-5
5. No. 119 Kris Yee (Vanderbilt) def. Sam O’Neill (Butler) 6-4, 6-2
6. Anton Kovrigin (Vanderbilt) def. Billy Weldon (Butler) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Results
1. Lipman/van der Merwe (Vanderbilt) def. Weldon/Woldmoe (Butler) 8-7 (4)
2. Austin/Eswaran (Vanderbilt) def. Marx/Bhattacharya (Butler) 8-3
3. Johnson/Kovrigin (Vanderbilt) def. O’Neill/Woods
