NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Vanderbilt snapped its three-match losing streak with a 4-1 win over No. 31 Alabama Sunday afternoon at the Currey Tennis Center.
Vanderbilt (14-7, 5-4) has won four-straight in the series with Alabama (12-9, 3-6) who have now dropped four in a row on the year. The Commodores improved to 10-3 at home this season.
Alabama started the match by winning the doubles point convincingly over the Commodores. Becker O’Shaughnessey and Daniil Proskura teamed up to defeat Gonzales Austin and Anton Kovrigin in No. 2 doubles, 8-2. The match marked the first time this season Austin and Kovrigin paired up for doubles.
In the No. 3 doubles match, Stuart Kenyon and Philippe Tsangarides defeated Rhys Johnson and Kris Yee, 8-4. Yee played doubles for the first time since late October and is only the fifth doubles match he has played since joining the Black and Gold.
The Commodores would storm back to take a 3-1 lead after recording wins in Nos. 2, 3 and 5 singles. In the No. 2 position, Austin would take down O’Shaughnessey in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. With the win, Austin became the third Commodore with at least 20 wins for the season. He is 20-10 overall (11-7 in dual play).
Jeff Offerdahl downed Proskura, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3, while Marc van der Merwe defeated Kenyon in No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-1.
Ryan Lipman would clinch the victory for the Commodores with his 27th victory of the season overall. Lipman defeated Jarryd Botha in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. The redshirt junior is 17-3 during dual play and 7-2 in SEC action.
Johnson and Yee did not finish their matches due to the match being decided.
The Commodores host Kentucky next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the final home contest of the 2013 season at the Currey Tennis Center.
Singles Results
1. No. 17 Ryan Lipman (VU) def. No. 69 Jarryd Botha (UA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. No. 62 Gonzales Austin (VU) def. No. 91 Becker O’Shaughnessey (UA) 7-5, 6-4
3. Jeff Offerdahl (VU) def. Daniil Proskura (UA) 6-3, 6-3
4. Kris Yee (VU) vs. David Vieyra (UA) 6-1, 3-6, 2-1, ufinished
5. Marc van der Merwe (VU) def. Stuart Kenyon (UA) 6-4, 6-1
6. Rhys Johnson (VU) vs. Philippe Tsangarides (UA) 1-4, unfinished
Doubles Results
1. Lipman/van der Merwe (VU) vs. No. 49 Botha/Vieyra (UA) 7-7, unfinished
2. O’Shaughnessey/Proskura (UA) def. Austin/Kovrigin (VU) 8-2
3. Kenyon/Tsangarides (UA) def. Johnson/Yee (VU) 8-4
Order of finish:
Singles: 3,5,2,1
Doubles: 2,3
