NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 17th-ranked Vanderbilt men’s tennis team pulled off a dramatic 4-3 victory over No. 32 Ole Miss Friday evening in the squad’s Southeastern Conference home opener.
The Rebels opened Friday’s contest by winning the doubles point and taking a 1-0 advantage.
Ole Miss’ Gustav Hansson and Finn Reynolds earned the first victory of the day, defeating the senior duo of Baker Newman and Daniel Valent, 6-1. The Rebels’ 15th-ranked Fabian Fallert and Tim Sandkaulenzel went on to secure the point with a 6-3 win over No. 57 Cameron Klinger and Billy Rowe. No. 75 Lachlan McPhee and Panu Virtanen trailed No. 28 Zvonimir Babic and Filip Kraljevic 4-5 at the conclusion of doubles.
VU responded in singles, winning first-set advantages on five-of-six courts.
Newman was first off the court for the black and gold as the senior defeated Ole Miss’ Grey Hamilton 6-3, 6-4 for Vandy’s first point of the day. Newman rides a three-match winning streak and now boasts an 8-2 spring record.
George Harwell earned Vanderbilt a 2-1 advantage in a gripping 6-3, 7-6 (6-2) victory over Reynolds at No. 6 singles. Now owning an 11-1 dual match record, Harwell continues to perform as a consistent member of the Commodore lineup.
The Rebels answered VU’s two points with a solid win on court one. No. 48 Hansson defeated No. 79 Valent 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a challenging three-setter to pull even at 2-2. The Dores, however, quickly responded, as No. 57 Klinger earned a quality win over Ole Miss’ 19th-ranked Sandkaulenzel, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2.
Ole Miss evened the score one last time as No. 103 Filip Kraljevic bested Maxwell Freeman, 2-6, 7-6 (8-10), 6-0.
Tied at 3-3, Rowe faced Mississippi’s Fallert in what would turn out to be the most dramatic match-up of the evening. After a hard-fought, three-set battle, Rowe edged out Fallert 7-6 (11-9), 4-6, 7-5 to clinch the Commodores’ second SEC win.
Vanderbilt will remain at home this Sunday, hosting Arkansas at noon on Sunday.
DORES WIN, 4-3!!!
Billy clinches the Commodore victory, 7-6, 4-6, 7-5! #FightDores pic.twitter.com/6q0QhbMZw4
— Vandy Men’s Tennis (@VandyMensTennis) March 10, 2018
