NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 16 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team opened up its spring season in impressive fashion on Wednesday, defeating UT-Martin (0-1) 7-0 on campus at the Currey Tennis Center. The Commodores (1-0) thoroughly dominated the Skyhawks, only losing eight games throughout the entire match.
“We did a really good job of not letting up and keeping our focus,” head coach Geoff Macdonald said. “I think we only lost eight games all day, which is really remarkable.”
Vanderbilt picked up its first point in quick fashion, easily winning the doubles point. Playing in the No. 1 position, senior Taka Bertrand and sophomore Catherine Newman defeated Elizma Schoonees and Ernestine Koornhof 8-0. Caroline Ferrell and Katie Kilborn clinched the doubles point for the `Dores in the third position with a convincing 8-2 victory over Martie Wahl and Mary Beth Gunn. The team of Amanda Taylor and Courtney Ulery completed the sweep in doubles, dispatching of Sara Leavy and Belisa De Brito 8-2.
The Commodores continued their solid play in singles. Ferrell was the first Vanderbilt player to register a point in singles, beating De Brito 6-0, 6-0. Courtney Ulery, ranked 13th in singles, quickly followed suit with an easy 6-0, 6-0 defeat of Wahl. No. 34 Taylor clinched Vanderbilt’s first victory of the season with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Schoonees.
Bertrand garnered the fifth point for the Commodores, defeating Koornhof 6-0, 6-0. Newman, ranked 24th nationally in singles was able to get by Leavy 6-2, 6-2 to claim Vanderbilt’s sixth point of the match. Kilborn closed out the match and picked up her first collegiate dual match singles victory by defeating Gunn 6-0, 6-0.
Vanderbilt returns to action on Friday as it travels to Albuquerque, N.M., to battle the University of New Mexico at 6 p.m. (CST).
