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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Amanda Fish’s senior presentation took place in private, but the Vanderbilt tennis ITA All-American put on a show for fans as she finished her final weekend in Nashville with two ranked wins, including a thrilling super tiebreaker victory on Sunday to help VU defeat South Carolina 5-2.
With the team win, No. 16 Vanderbilt (15-7, 8-2) sealed a spot in the SEC top four, which is good for a bye in the SEC tournament scheduled for April 19-21.
After starting the season 2-5, the Commodores have made a spectacular turn around, going 13-2 through the last 15 contests, dropping only two 4-3 contests to No. 5 Georgia and No. 4 Florida.
“We had such a rough start with all those losses early. We’ve only lost twice since then, and very narrowly. I’m so proud of the way the team has battled through the season,” VU Head Coach Geoff Macdonald said.
Fish, along with partner Amanda Taylor, started the match against South Carolina with an 8-4 doubles win, bringing the 18th-ranked tandem’s conference mark to 8-2 at No. 1. The win clinched the doubles point for the Commodores following Courtney Ulery and Liberty Sveke’s 8-6 win at No. 3.
Wasting no time, Vanderbilt junior Taka Bertrand silenced USC’s Christyn Lucas 6-1, 6-1 to bring the Commodores up 2-0 over the Gamecocks. Amanda Fish and Courtney Ulery followed with wins at Nos. 2 and 5, respectively, to clinch the Vanderbilt win.
Ulery’s third set win over USC junior Megan McGavock snapped the sophomore’s three-match conference drought, brining her overall record to 14-5 and 6-4 in the SEC.
South Carolina followed with wins at Nos. 3 and 6 over Vandy freshman Catherine Newman and sophomore Liberty Sveke.
Amanda Fish was the last to wrap up play on Sunday afternoon. USC’s 55th-ranked Gira Schofield jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first set and defeated Fish 6-2. Fish then battled and tied Schofield at 5-5 in the second, eventually edging out a 7-5 win. Schofield started the super tiebreaker with a 2-0 lead, but Fish regrouped and held her ground to win 10-7.
Last season in Columbia, S.C., Schofield defeated Fish in a super tiebreaker.
“I really did not want to lose this one,” Fish said. “I lost it last year. I knew I had to take it point by point and stay calm.”
Fish started the weekend with a straight set win over No. 18 Diana Srebrovic of fourth-ranked Florida, her highest upset of the season.
“What a great weekend for her,” Macdonald said. “I was so pleased she could get these final wins here. It was a great way to cap off one of the best careers in the history of Vanderbilt women’s tennis.”
The Commodores will play their final regular season contest in Lexington, Kent. against the Wildcats on Saturday, April 14.
RESULTS
#16 Vanderbilt 5, #22 South Carolina 2
DOUBLES
1. #18 Amanda Taylor/Amanda Fish (VU) d. Gira Schofield/Ana Maria Zubori (USC) 8-4
2. Natasa Vuckovic/Christyn Lucas (USC) d. #51 Taka Bertrand/Catherine Newman (VU) 8-5
3. Courtney Ulery/Liberty Sveke (VU) d. Laura Ganzer/Megan McGavock (USC) 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 1*, 2
SINGLES
1. #25 Amanda Fish (VU) d. #55 Gira Schofield (USC) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (7)
2. #36 Amanda Taylor (VU) d. Ana Marija Zubori (USC) 7-5, 6-3
3. Natasa Vuckovic (USC) d. #38 Catherine Nemwan (VU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
4. #101 Taka Bertrand (VU) d. Christyn Lucas (USC) 6-1, 6-1
5. Courtney Ulery (VU) d. Megan McGavock (USC) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. Laura Ganzer (USC) d. Liberty Sveke (VU) 6-2, 6-4
