CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Courtney Colton did everything she could facing 5th-ranked Hayley Carter, but her backhand return in the second-set tiebreak went just wide, ending Vandy’s upset bid of No. 3 North Carolina.
The 15th-ranked Vanderbilt women’s tennis team fell 4-3 to the Tar Heels in the opening round of the 2014 National Team Indoor Championship, Friday morning, at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va.
“I am incredibly proud of the fight and effort we showed today,” said Vanderbilt head coach Geoff Macdonald. “Some opportunities slipped away from us, we could have won the doubles point along with singles at two and four. The key going forward is to be resilient and to take advantage of each opportunity in front of us.”
The Commodores move on to the consolation round, where teams will be reseeded following the completion of all the first round matches.
“The great thing about this tournament is the opportunities it presents,” Macdonald said. “Every team is in the top 15, so each match you play provides you with a chance at a great resume building win.”
Vanderbilt began the morning with a very contested doubles point. Neither the `Dores or `Heels had lost a doubles point prior to the match.
The `Dores won the first match at No. 3 with a quick 6-1 win by Georgina Sellyn and Frances Altick over No. 42 Laura Slater and Kate Vialle.
UNC answered shortly after as No. 12 Jamie Loeb and Hayley Carter knocked off Marie Casares and Courtney Colton, 6-4.
It came down to a tiebreak at No. 1 doubles between 10th-ranked Whitney Kay and Caroline Price against Ashleigh Antal and Lauren Mira. Facing match point Antal and Mira were able to force a tiebreak at 6-all, but Kay and Price were able to take the breaker 7-5, after a line call in favor of the `Dores was overturned.
North Carolina jumped to a 2-0 lead with a quick 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1, by 2nd-ranked Jamie Loeb. Loeb, the nations top freshman, improved to 25-1 on the year with the win.
Vanderbilt answered with a win by Antal at No. 6, but the Tar Heels would extend their lead to 3-1 with a win at No. 4 over Altick. Alticks’s six-match win streak was snapped after dropping the third set tiebreak 10-7 to UNC’s Price.
Facing defeat at 3-1, Vanderbilt fought back to tie the match at 3 apiece. Casares picked up the next win for the Commodores, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 5 singles, followed by 48th-ranked Sellyn at No. 3 singles.
After dropping her first set 6-4, Sellyn was able to bounce back and force a third set tiebreak with a 7-5 win in the second set. Facing two match points, the sophomore from Scotland was able to win five-straight points to take the match 11-9 in the breaker, forcing the match to be decided at No. 2 singles.
Colton, who was matched up with 5th-ranked Carter, did everything she could to keep Vandy in the match. The Vandy sophomore forced a tiebreak in the first set, before coming from behind in the second set to force another tiebreak.
Carter proved to be too much, taking a quick 5-1 lead in the breaker, before clinching the match for the Tar Heels, 7-2 in the break.
“This was one of the better fights I’ve seen in my 20 years with Vanderbilt,” said Macdonald. “This was a chance for us to see the level of competition that is going to be played in NCAA’s, and we leave this match knowing we are right there with the best.”
Vanderbilt will await the days remaining matches to see who they will face in the consolation round, on Saturday.
#3 North Carolina 4, #15 Vanderbilt 3
Singles competition
1. #2 Jamie Loeb (NC) def. #61 Lauren Mira (VU) 6-1, 6-0
2. #5 Hayley Carter (NC) def. Courtney Colton (VU) 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2)
3. #48 Georgina Sellyn (VU) def. #88 Whitney Kay (NC) 4-6, 7-5, 11-9
4. Caroline Price (NC) def. Frances Altick (VU) 1-6, 6-2, 10-7
5. Marie Casares (VU) def. #118 Ashley Dai (NC) 6-3, 6-2
6. #102 Ashleigh Antal (VU) def. Tessa Lyons (NC) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #10 Whitney Kay/Caroline Price (NC) def. Ashleigh Antal/Lauren Mira (VU) 7-6 (7-5)
2. #12 Hayley Carter/Jamie Loeb (NC) def. Marie Casares/Courtney Colton (VU) 6-4
3. Frances Altick/Georgina Sellyn (VU) def. #42 Laura Slater/Kate Vialle (NC) 6-1
Match Notes:
Vanderbilt 3-1; National ranking #15
North Carolina 5-1; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,6,4,5,3,2)
