KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After winning four straight SEC duals in the last two weeks, Vanderbilt came up short for the second consecutive match Sunday as No. 13 Tennessee topped the 17th-ranked Commodores in Knoxville this afternoon. With the loss the `Dores fall to 9-7 overall and 5-4 in SEC play. Tennessee’s win over Vanderbilt is only their second win in the last 10 meetings between the two schools.
The Lady Vols (15-4, 8-2 SEC) took the first lead of the match as they took the doubles point from the Commodores by winning all three matches. Tennessee has won 16 of its last 17 matches in doubles.
The doubles point tightened the tension for the young Vanderbilt squad heading into singles play knowing they needed to take four of the six singles matches from its in-state rival.
Vanderbilt fell behind 2-0 for the second straight dual as UT’s top-singles player, Caitlin Whoriskey topped VU’s Catherine Newman in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. After dropping the first-set in four of the six singles matches the Commodores started to build momentum as VU’s Keilly Ulery, Heather Steinbauer and Courtney Ulery all won their second set to force a third and final set.
Meanwhile on court four, Vanderbilt freshman Chelsea Preeg got the Commodores on the scoreboard with a straight set win over UT’s Jennifer Meredith, 7-5, 6-2. Preeg improved to 24-9 overall and 10-3 in dual play.
Preeg’s win made the match score 3-1 in favor of Tennessee but the Commodores still had life with three singles matches still going. After dropping the first set 6-4, VU senior Courtney Ulery battled back to take the second set 6-3 over UT’s Maria Sorbello, before falling 6-2 in the third set, giving the Lady Vols its fourth point of the match.
Jackie Wu gave the Commodores its second point of the match with a solid three-set win over Natalie Pluskota, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. With the win, Wu improved to 24-9 overall and 5-4 in the SEC.
VU nearly trimmed the UT lead to one as Keilly Ulery and UT’s Samantha Orlin battled back and forth in a three set marathon. After falling 6-3 in the opening stanza, the younger Ulery found a rhythm and took the second set 6-2, but was unable to win back-to-back sets as Orlin hung on to defeat Ulery 6-4 in the final set.
The Commodores will close out the regular season next Saturday with a pivotal showdown with Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. The 23rd-rated Wildcats are coming off a 5-2 setback to No. 2 Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex Sunday in Athens, Ga. The match with UK will begin with doubles play starting at 11 a.m. CT.
No. 13 Tennessee 5, No. 17 Vanderbilt 2
Singles Results
1. No. 32 Caitlin Whoriskey (UT) def. No. 62 Catherine Newman (VU) 6-0, 6-2
2. No. 57 Jackie Wu (VU) def. Natalie Pluskota (UT) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
3. Samantha Orlin (UT) def. Keilly Ulery (VU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
4. Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Jennifer Meredith (UT) 7-5, 6-2
5. Rosalia Alda (UT) def. Heather Steinbauer (VU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
6. Maria Sorbello (UT) def. Courtney Ulery (VU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
order of finish: 1, 5, 4, 6*, 2, 3
Doubles Results
1. No. 39 Whoriskey / Pluskota (UT) def. No. 49 Steinbauer / Wu (VU) 8-3
2. Alda / Zubor (UT) def. Newman / Preeg (VU) 8-0
3. Meredith / Sorbello def. Ulery, C. / Ulery, K. (VU) 8-0
order of finish: 2, 3, 1
