NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt women’s tennis improved to 11-6 on the season with an hours-long battle against South Carolina, ultimately taking a 4-3 decision over the Gamecocks.
After dropping the doubles point early, the women rallied back in singles to take four courts and come out victorious.
Seeing Double
- The visiting Gamecocks clinched the doubles point as the Dores went 1-2, taking Court 3.
- Anna Ross and Anessa Lee narrowly dropped their set at No. 1 doubles before MaryAnn Rompf and Dasha Kourkina evened it out on Court 3 with a 6-4 win.
- Marcella Cruz and Holly Staff ultimately fell 6-2 on Court 2 as South Carolina took the 1-0 lead into singles.
Stellar Singles
- The two teams evenly split the first set of singles, with each squad claiming three victories through the opening set.
- Lee ultimately fell to No. 61 Ayana Akli at No. 2 singles, 0-6 and 1-6, as her court finished first in the afternoon session.
- Cruz won a pair of sets on Court 4, 6-2 and 6-4, to put the Commodores on the board Friday afternoon.
- Forced to the tiebreak in set two, Amy Stevens clinched Court 5 in straight sets, 6-0, 7-6(1).
- Dasha Kourkina put the Dores on top with a win in straight sets on Court 6. Her 6-2 and 6-3 set wins gave Vandy the 3-2 lead with two courts left to play out.
- 57th-ranked Ross and her Gamecock competition, second-ranked Sarah Hamner battled it out in three sets as the duo traded a pair of 6-4 set wins through the first two. Hamner eventually came out on top but not without a fight for the ages from the junior as Ross dropped the decisive third set, 6-3.
- Holly Staff called match with a thrilling 6-4 win in set three on her court. The sophomore dropped set one, 4-6 before taking the tiebreak in set two, 7-6(5), to force the deciding third set. Over three hours after first serving off at No. 3 singles, Staff clinched the win for Vanderbilt with the 6-4 win in set three.
Up Next
The Commodores return to the Currey Tennis Center Sunday for doubleheader action against No. 16 Florida and Tennessee State. Vanderbilt and its SEC foe go head-to-head at noon. The Dores and Tigers are set to take the courts at 4 p.m.
A food truck will be available Sunday, opening 30 minutes prior to first serve.
