NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt needed just one more singles victory to pull off the upset, but was unable to hold off second-ranked Tennessee, dropping a 4-3 decision at the Currey Tennis Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Commodores fell behind early in the match after dropping two of three doubles matches. Blake Bazarnik and Bryant Salcedo fell to 52nd-ranked Edward Jones and Matteo Fago. Tennessee’s Rhyne Williams and Tennys Sandgren clinched the doubles point with an 8-6 win over Ryan Lipman and Adam Baker on court one. Charlie Jones and Alex Zotov picked up their 10th win of the season with an 8-6 win on court two.
Salcedo quickly evened up the score when singles play began with a 6-2, 6-1 win on court four. After dropping the first set, 6-3, Baker fought in the second set to force a third-set, but ultimately fell, 7-5, for the Volunteers to reclaim the lead. Jarryd Chaplin added to the lead when he picked up a three-set win over Barzarnik on court four.
On court six, Zotov fought back after losing the first set, 6-4, to claim a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Taylor Patrick. Jones had the opportunity to tie the match on court three, but fell to Matteo Fago, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. Fago clinched the win for the Volunteers.
Lipman picked up his second win over a top-15 opponent of the weekend when he took down No. 3 Rhyne Williams in three sets. Lipman dropped the first set, 6-3, but tied the match with a 7-6(1) win in the second. Lipman and Williams, the reigning Co-SEC Freshmen of the Year, battled in the third set, but Lipman came away with a 7-5 win and his 11th victory of the spring.
In singles play, the Commodores dropped five of six first sets, and four matches went to three sets. There was a brief rain delay during singles play, but competition resumed approximately 20 minutes later.
“(During the rain delay) I told the team that we needed to keep our composure and stay calm,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “I thought we were a little freaked out in a couple of spots, and we needed to calm down. I do like the fact that we hung in there and made it close. There were a number of positives from today. I did like our competitiveness, but we needed to find a way to get over the hump and win the match.”
The Commodores return to the courts Sunday, March 20 when Auburn visits the Currey Tennis Center. The match is scheduled to begin at noon.
