NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s Courtney Ulery and Heather Steinbauer picked up their second Southeastern Conference singles win, but it wasn’t enough as No. 31 Florida knocked off the Commodores, 5-2 at the outdoor courts of the Currey Tennis Center Sunday. The loss snaps Vanderbilt’s three match winning streak dating back to Feb. 5.
“I want to give Florida a lot of credit for the way they played today,” head coach Geoff Macdonald said. “They played a really tough match and showed they were the better team today. This match is an example of how good this conference is day-in and day-out. Our team will learn from this and we will continue to get better.”
In doubles action, VU’s pair of Keilly and Courtney Ulery won their second conference doubles match of the weekend, topping Florida’s pair of Barbara Pineterova and Lauren Wolken, 8-5. After rallying back and forth and splitting nearly every game and point, Vanderbilt’s Jackie Wu and Catherine Newman took a 7-6 lead over UF’s pair of Marrit Boonstra and Joanna Mather in the number two doubles slot. After Boonstra and Mather knotted things up at seven games a piece, the `Dores tandem responded by claiming their eighth win of the match, putting the Gators on its heals. However, Florida responded with a little run of their own, winning the match 9-8 to clinch the doubles point for the Gators.
After taking four of the six singles matches from No. 29 South Carolina on Friday, the `Dores mustered two against the visting Gators Sunday. VU’s Courtney Ulery and Steinbauer earned straight set wins over its respected Gator opponent.
Ulery, the team’s lone senior, earned her 12th win of the season by defeating Pineterova in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3, while Steinbauer dominated from the beginning serve, dispatching Florida’s Wolken 6-0, 6-0.
Vanderbilt returns to the hard courts on Friday, March 13 as it travels to Baton Rouge, La., to square off against the Tigers of LSU. Competition is slated to begin at 3 p.m CT.
Florida 5, Vanderbilt 2
Doubles Results
1. No. 69 Alexander / Revzina (UF) def. Steinbauer / Wu (VU) 8-1
2. Boonstra / Mather (UF) def. Newman / Preeg (VU) 9-8
3. C. Ulery / K. Ulery (VU) def. Pineterova / Wolken (UF) 8-5
order of finish – 1, 3, 2
Singles Results
1. No. 8 Marrit Boonstra (UF) def. No. 50 Catherine Newman (VU) 6-4, 6-0
2. No. 48 Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. No. 52 Jackie Wu (VU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Joanna Mather (UF) def. No. 90 Keilly Ulery (VU) 6-4, 6-4
4. Jessica Alexander (UF) def. Chelsea Preeg (VU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Courtney Ulery (VU) def. Barbara Pineterova (UF) 7-6, 6-3
6. Heather Steinbauer (VU) def. Lauren Wolken (UF) 6-0, 6-0
order of finish – 4, 6, 1, 2, 3, 5
