NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 31st-ranked Vanderbilt women’s tennis team rallied from a 1-0 deficit after dropping the doubles point to win four of the six singles matches to claim a 4-3 win over No. 23 Arkansas at the Currey Tennis Center Friday.
The Commodores improved to 10-8 overall and 5-4 in the Southeastern Conference while Arkansas had its two-match winning streak snapped, fallling to 14-8 overall and 4-5 in league play.
“We recovered well from what was a very poor performance in doubles today,” head coach Geoff Macdonald said. “We responded in singles and played some solid matches to escape with the win. We were fortunate to get the win today.”
Arkansas got on the scoreboard first when they took two of three from the Commodores in doubles. VU’s number one tandem of Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu recorded the lone win for the ‘Dores, topping Stephanie Roy and Anouk Tigu, 8-3 at the No. 1 position. With the win on Friday, Preeg and Wu push their dual mark to 8-3, including 3-2 in conference play.
Trailing 1-0 after doubles, Vanderbilt tied the match at one when Newman defeated Arkansas’ 65th-ranked Tigu in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3 for her 12th win of the dual season. The Greensboro, N.C., native is now 6-3 in the SEC at No. 1 singles. Newman has now defeated eight nationally ranked players this spring.
“I thought Catherine played a great match today,” Macdonald said. “She continues to be a great team leader and leads by example.”
Fellow senior Hannah Blatt gave Vanderbilt a 2-1 lead when she defeated Claudine Paulson, 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 6 position for her team leading seventh conference win of the season. Blatt, who is 7-1 in singles in the SEC, was on the verge of dropping her first opening set of the season when she trailed 3-5 in the opening set before winning the next four games to claim the set.
“Hannah and Catherine really set the tone for our team in singles today and that’s what you want from your two seniors,” Macdonald said.
VU extended its lead minutes later when Chelsea Preeg registered her 12th win of the dual season when she finished off Emily Carbone at No. 3, winning 6-3, 6-2. With the win, Preeg improves to 27-10 overall in 2009-10, including 6-3 in the SEC.
With Vanderbilt leading 3-1 in the match, All-SEC performer Jackie Wu clinched the match for the Commodores with an impressive, 7-5, 6-3 decision against 115th-ranked Kate Lukomskaya on court two. Preeg improved to 8-2 in singles in dual play, including 3-1 against the SEC. The win over Lukomskaya was Wu’s third win against a ranked opponent this spring.
With Vanderbilt already clinching the match, the Razorbacks closed out the meet with a pair of three-set wins on courts four and five.
The ‘Dores will host No. 70 LSU at the Currey Tennis Center at Noon CT on Sunday. LSU (9-12, 4-5 SEC) defeated Kentucky, 6-1 on Friday in Lexington. Vanderbilt enters Sunday’s match with LSU, winners of 15 of their last 16 against the Lady Tigers.
Admission is free for all of Vanderbilt’s tennis matches,
No. 31 Vanderbilt 4, No. 23 Arkansas 3
April 9, 2010
Singles
1. No. 23 Catherine Newman (VU) def. No. 65 Anouk Tigu (ARK) 6-1, 6-3
2. No. 27 Jackie Wu (VU) def. No. 115 Kate Lukomskaya (ARK) 7-5, 6-3
3. No. 82 Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Emily Carbone (ARK) 6-3, 6-2
4. Stephanie Roy (ARK) def. Keilly Ulery (VU) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
5. Kelsey Sundaram (ARK) def. Rachael Dillon (VU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
6. Hannah Blatt (VU) def. Claudine Paulson (ARK) 7-5, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 6, 3, 2*, 5, 4
Doubles
1. No. 25 Preeg / Wu (VU) def. Roy / Tigu (ARK) 8-3
2. Lukomskaya / Sundaram (ARK) def. Newman / Robertson (VU) 8-0
3. Paulson / Starkova (ARK) def. Blatt / Dillon (VU) 8-2
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Match Notes
Vanderbilt improves to 10-8 overall and 5-4 in the SEC
Arkansas falls to 14-8 overall and 4-5 in the SEC
