LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team continued its strong play this weekend in Lexington, Ky., as it went a combined 7-5 in singles and 2-1 in doubles at the second day of the Kentucky Invitational Saturday. Chelsea Preeg and Hannah Blatt each won two singles matches while Jackie Wu, Keilly Ulery and Heather Steinbauer went 1-1 in singles on the day.
Blatt two singles wins Saturday, moves her into Sunday’s championship match in Flight “D”. The Nashville, Tenn., native defeated Illinois’ Annie McCarthy in straight sets before dispatching East Tennessee State’s Diana Navrotska, 6-4, 6-1, in the semifinals. The Vanderbilt senior will face Ohio State’s Fidar Manashirova in tomorrow’s final.
Preeg also went undefeated in singles Saturday as she notched wins over two-opponents out of the Big Ten. The Naples, Fla., native defeated Illinois’ Maris Lambropolous, 6-4, 6-0 before edging out Denise Muresan of Michigan in a second-set tiebreaker. With the two wins, Preeg pushed her singles mark to a team best 8-1.
In doubles, Vanderbilt’s duo of Preeg and Wu clinched a spot in tomorrow’s championship with an 8-4 win over Denise Muresan and Michele Sulahian of Michigan in the semifinals. The VU sophomore tandem will square off against Virginia’s undefeated team of Lindsey Hardenbergh and Erin Vierra for the Flight “A” championship.
Erica Robertson and Steinbauer also clinched a match in tomorrow’s Flight “B” championship as it picked up it’s third win in two days with an 8-3 win over Illinois’ Annie McCarthy and Amy Allin. The VU sophomore duo will now square off against Illinois’ team of Kristina Minor and Christina Stromberg in Sunday’s final.
The Kentucky Invitational will conclude on Sunday. Check out vucommodores.com for a recap and final results from Lexington.
Singles Results
Flight A
Jackie Wu (VU) def. Jo-Ann VanAerde (Louisville) 7-5, 6-0
Lindsey Hardenbergh (Virginia) def. Jackie Wu (VU) 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-3
Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Marisa Lambropolous (Illinois) 6-4, 6-0
Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Denise Muresan (Michigan) 4-6, 6-1 (10-8)
Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Erin Vierra (Virginia) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Sona Novakova (AASU) def. Keilly Ulery (VU) 6-4, 7-5
Flight B
Heather Steinbauer (VU) def. Mandy Brown (Louisville) 6-1, 7-5
Gabby Steele (Ohio State) def. Heather Steinbauer (VU) 6-4, 6-2
Flight C
Hannah Blatt (VU) def. Annie McCarthy (Illinois) 6-0, 6-1
Hannah Blatt (VU) def. Diana Navrotska (East Tennessee State) 6-4, 6-1
Flight D
Taylor Fournier (Michigan) def. Erica Robertson (VU) 7-5, 7-5
Stefanie Villajuan (Louisville) def. Megan Gornet (VU) 6-4, 6-2
Cassie Carver (ASU) def. Megan Gornet (VU) 8-6* (*8-game Pro Set)
Doubles Results
Flight A
Preeg / Wu (VU) def. Muresan / Sulahian (Michigan) 8-4
Flight B
Robertson / Steinbauer (VU) def. Allin / McCarthy (Virginia) 8-3
Minor / Stramberg (Illinois) def. Blatt / Ulery (VU) 9-7
