COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 7 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team left the Lone Star State with a 4-2 victory over No. 22 Texas A&M.
With the win, Vanderbilt improves to 14-5 overall and 9-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
The Aggies began Friday night’s showdown taking the doubles advantage with wins on courts two then one. Saska Gavrilovska/Stefania Hristo earned the first victory on the day, handing VU’s Emma Kurtz and Sydney Campbell a 6-1 loss. In an ITA top-10 battle, No. 10 Astra Sharma and Emily Smith leveled the opportunity, taking court one over No. 6 Rutuja Bhosale and Rachel Pierson, 7-5. The point was clinched by the Aggies in a tight 7-6(4) tiebreak victory over Fernanda Contreras and Christina Rosca.
Vanderbilt shifted gears in singles play, taking four first sets and three straight-set victories.
Georgina Sellyn earned the first point for VU, only allowing her opponent, Tina Bokua, three games in a 6-3, 6-0 victory on court five. The Aggies responded with a singles win of their own as No. 38 Rachel Pierson downed No. 4 Sharma, 6-3, 6-2.
The black and gold took the next three matches, with wins on courts six, three then two. Contreras leveled the match, 2-all, taking court six 6-2, 7-6(4). The sophomore continues to boast a spotless record on court six in SEC play, 7-0.
Like Contreras, No. 72 Rosca breezed through her first set against A&M’s Domenica Gonzales, 6-2, only to fight through a tough tiebreaker, 7-6(5) for the 3-2 Commodore advantage.
No. 15 Campbell sealed the victory for Vandy in three sets against No. 107 Bhosale. The senior Commodore walked away from the first set with the 6-2 advantage, but the Aggie used the loss to force a third set decider, 3-6. Vanderbilt earned its second program win over Texas A&M, as Campbell utilized the entire court to earn key points late in the final set, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Kurtz led Gavrilovska, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 as the match was clinched.
Vanderbilt will face the 21st-ranked LSU Tigers on Sunday for the team’s last road test of the regular season.
