PRINCETON, N.J. – The 20th-ranked Vanderbilt women’s tennis team fell behind early after dropping two of the three doubles matches and couldn’t pull out the win as Princeton edged the Commodores 4-3 at the Jadwin Gym on Saturday.
VU’s 30th-ranked tandem of Jackie Wu and Chelsea Preeg had little trouble with Princeton’s No. 2 team of Rachel Saiontz and Monica Chow, as they swept the match eight games to zero, to improve to 20-4 on the year and 3-0 in dual play.
The Commodores (3-2) split the six singles matches with the Tigers (5-3) as they picked up wins at the number two, four and five spots. VU got wins from Keilly Ulery, Heather Steinbauer and Wu.
Wu won for the 10th time in her last 12 matches as she took down Melissa Saiontz at the No. 2 position in three sets for her fourth win of the dual season. After dropping the first set 4-6, Wu regained her stroke to win the second and third sets 6-4. With the win, the Holmdel, N.J., native improves to 17-4 overall and 4-1 in dual play.
Ulery notched her third win of the dual season in singles Saturday with a straight set (6-0, 6-2) win over Chow at the number four position. With the win, Ulery improves to 15-8 overall and 3-2 in dual play.
Steinbauer gave VU its third point of the match with an impressive three-set win over Blakely Ashley at the No. 5 postion. After winning the opening set 6-4, the Woodlands, Texas native dropped the second 4-6 before rallying to knock-off the Tiger, 6-4 in the third to take the match. With the win, VU improves to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in dual action.
The 20th-ranked Commodores will hit the courts tomorrow morning as they will battle No. 36 Yale at 11 a.m. CT in New Haven, Conn.
February 20, 2010
No. 63 Princeton 4, No. 20 Vanderbilt 3
Doubles
1. No. 26 Bartlett/Marable (PU) def. Robertson/Steinbauer (VU) 8-4
2. (30) Preeg/Wu (VU) def. Chow/R. Saiontz (PU) 8-0
3. Hoffman/M. Saiontz (PU) def. Dillon/Ulery (VU) 8-2
Singles
1. Hilary Bartlett (PU) def. No. 39 Catherine Newman (VU) 6-3, 6-4
2. No. 32 Jackie Wu (VU) def. Melissa Saiontz (PU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Rachel Saiontz (PU) def. No. 79 Chelsea Preeg (VU) 7-6(1), 6-3
4. Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Monica Chow (PU) 6-0, 6-2
5. No. 84 Heather Steinbauer (VU) def. Blakely Ashley (PU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
6. Taylor Marable (PU) def. Hannah Blatt (VU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
