CLEMSON, S.C. – After picking up their third doubles point of the season, the Commodores were unable fend off Clemson in singles play, falling 4-3 on Sunday afternoon in the championship match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu paired up for an 8-3 victory over Maria Belaya and Caroline Magnusson in the No. 2 doubles match. On court three, Lauren Mira and Keilly Ulery secured the doubles point for the Commodores with an 8-6 win over Clemson’s Nelly Ciolowski and Klara Vyskocilova. Rachael Dillon and Alex Leatu were leading Josipa Bek and Keri Wong, the No. 2 ranked doubles pair in the nation, 6-5, when the doubles point was clinched.
Preeg extended Vanderbilt’s lead over Clemson to 2-0 when she defeated Vyskocilova, 7-5, 6-2, in the No. 3 singles match. The Tigers then won four straight singles matches to clinch the victory. Bek, ranked 12th in the nation, topped Wu, 7-6(6), 6-0 on court one, followed by Dillon’s loss to Ciolowski, 7-5, 6-2, in the No. 4 match.
Leatu battled in a three-set match on court two, but ultimately lost, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4, to Wong. Magnusson sealed the victory for Clemson with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ulery in the No. 6 match.
With the win, Clemson advances to the ITA Indoor National Team Championships later in Febraury.
The Commodores return home to the Currey Tennis Center to host a pair of matches against Ivy Leaugue opponents this weekend. Vanderbilt is scheduled to play Yale on Saturday and Princeton on Sunday. Both matches begin at 12 p.m. CT and are free to all fans.
No. 10 Clemson 4, No. 19 Vanderbilt 2
Doubles:
1. #20 Dillon/Leatu (VU) led #2 Bek/Wong (CU) , 6-5, dnf
2. #53 Preeg/Wu (VU) def. Belaya/Magnusson (CU), 8-3
3. Mira/Ulery (VU) def. Ciolkowski/Vyskocilova (CU), 8-6
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles:
1. #12 Josipa Bek (CU) def. #83 Jackie Wu (VU), 7-6(6), 6-0
2. #48 Keri Wong (CU) def. #50 Alex Leatu (VU), 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
3. #89 Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Klara Vyskocilova (CU), 7-5, 6-2
4. Nelly Ciolkowski (CU) def. #64 Rachael Dillon (VU) 7-5, 6-3
5. #119 Lauren Mira (VU) led Maria Belaya (CU) v. 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 dnf
6. Caroline Magnusson (CU) def. Keilly Ulery (VU) 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3,1,4,2,6*
