NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Despite being forced to take cover during a tornado warning part-way through the doubles match, the Vanderbilt Commodores started their conference portion of the spring season with a 7-0 win over the No. 31 Arkansas Razorbacks.
Ashleigh Antal and Lauren Mira started the Dores off with a win on Court 1 in doubles, defeating Claudine Paulson and Laurie Gingras 8-3. With the Dores leading on courts 2 and 3, the sirens forced play to break for an hour.
After resuming play, the Dores swept through doubles with 8-6 and 8-7(7-3) wins, taking a 1-0 advantage into singles play. The momentum from doubles carried into singles, with the women sweeping through.
In her second set, Alex Leatu battled through a deuces point to take a 5-4 advantage. She held the set to win the match 6-1, 6-4, putting the Dores up 2-0 in the match. Jackie Wu stormed through her match, making it 3-0 Vanderbilt, defeating Emily Carbone 6-3, 6-2.
“It was a great way to start off the conference play,” said Leatu. “I’m so proud of my teammates for getting it done today.”
Mira clinched the match shortly after, going 6-4, 6-1 on court two to defeat Claudine Paulson and give the Commodores their first SEC victory of the season.
Antal, after a tiebreaker first set, went on to put the Commodores up 5-0 with her win against Gingras. earning her tenth win of the duals season. She leads the team in wins this spring.
Fellow freshman Marie Casares made it 6-0 for the Dores, winning her tiebreaker first set and then taking the second set 6-3 over Kate Lukomskaya. Junior Nelly Radeva wrapped up the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win on her court for the sweep.
“I think it’s a good segway into our next match against LSU,” said Mira. “Granted, it’ll be outdoors so it’ll be a little different. But today was good. I feel like we were really focused, even with the tornado warning. We’re ready to take on the Tigers.”
Vanderbilt takes on #43 LSU on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Results:
Singles:
1. Jackie Wu (VU) def. Emily Carbone (UA) 6-3, 6-2
2. Lauren Mira (VU) vs. Claudine Paulson (UA) 6-4, 6-1*
3. Alex Leatu (VU) def. Stephanie Roy (UA) 6-1, 6-4
4. Marie Casares (VU) def. Kate Lukomskaya (UA) 7-6(7-1), 6-3
5. Ashleigh Antal (VU) def. Laurie Gingras (UA) 7-6(9-3), 6-1
6. Nelly Radeva (VU) def. Catherine Parenteau (UA) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles:
1. Antal-Mira (VU) def. Paulson-Gingras (UA) 8-3
2. Wu-Leatu (VU) vs. Carbone-Roy (UA) 8-6
3. Radeva-Casares (VU) vs. Lukomskaya-Parenteau 8-7(7-3)
Match Notes:
#33 Vanderbilt, 9-4
#31 Arkansas, 7-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3), Singles (3,1,2,5,4,6)
Dores in the Rankings:
#29 Jackie Wu
#98 Lauren Mira
#19 Jackie Wu-Lauren Mira
#50 Jackie Wu-Alex Leatu
