TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Junior Hannah Blatt and freshmen Erica Robertson and Chelsea Preeg posted victories in both singles and doubles play to lead the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team at day two of the SEC Fall Coaches Classic.
The freshman doubles tandem of Heather Steinbauer and Robertson was the only Commodore doubles pair to go 2-0 Friday. Steinbauer and Robertson clinched a spot in tomorrow’s championship match of the gold draw by defeating teams from Kentucky and Ole Miss. The two `Dores will match up against Alabama’s pair of Meritt Emery and Alice Tunaru.
Also picking up doubles wins was the pair of Courtney Ulery and Preeg. The senior-freshman tandem knocked off Ole Miss’s pair of Mimi Renaudin and Laura Van de Stroet 8-4 before falling to Mississippi State’s team of Olesya Tsigvintseva and Natalia Mayuk, 8-6. The duo of Blatt and Keilly Ulery won its second match of the day 8-4 over Mega Broderick and Jennifer Stone of Kentucky.
Robertson became the only Commodore to post a perfect 3-0 combined record on the day, by defeating Mississippi State’s Valeriya Makarycheva in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Blatt followed suit by cruising through Mississippi State’s Jordan Zachary, 6-0, 6-2. With a win tomorrow, Blatt would capture the Green draw title over Auburn’s Heather Bybee.
Preeg will also play in the championship match of her respected draw after dispatching Jennifer Stone of Kentucky in consecutive sets, 6-3, 6-1. With the win over Stone, Preeg (10-2), became the third Commodore to win at least 10 matches this fall.
Steinbauer nearly became the third Commodore to reach tomorrow’s finals of her repected bracket before falling in a hard-fought three set match to Tennessee’s Jennifer Meredith.
Due to weather and time, the tournament officials have decided to finish all the remaining matches Saturday instead of waiting to finish the tournament on Sunday.
Crimson Draw Singles – Second Round
Gira Schofield (South Carolina) def. Jackie Wu (VU) 6-4, 6-3
White Draw Singles – Second Round
Monika Dancevic (Georgia) def. Catherine Newman (VU) Default
Gold Draw Singles – Second Round
Joanna Mather (Florida) def. Courtney Ulery (VU) 6-4, 6-3
Silver Draw Singles – Second Round
Whitney Chappell (Auburn) def. Keilly Ulery (VU) 7-6(5), 7-5
Bronze Draw Singles – Second Round
Jennifer Meredith (Tennessee) def. Heather Steinbauer (VU) 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-3
Blue Draw Singles – Second Round
Chelsea Preeg (VU) def. Jennifer Stone (Kentucky) 6-3, 6-1
Green Draw Singles – Second Round
Erica Robertson (VU) def. Valeriya Makarycheva (Mississippi State) 6-4, 6-4
Hannah Blatt (VU) def. Jordan Zachary (Mississippi State) 6-0, 6-2
Crimson Draw Doubles – First Round
C. Ulery/Preeg (VU) def. Van de Stroet/Renaudin (Mississippi) 8-4
Crimson Draw Doubles – Second Round
Tsigvintseva/Mayuk (Mississippi State) def. C. Ulery/Preeg (VU) 8-6
White Draw Doubles – First Round
Makarycheva/Ferancova (Michigan State) def. Newman/Wu (VU) 8-5
White Draw Doubles – Second Round
Schofield/Miller (South Carolina) def. Newman/Wu (VU) 8-3
Gold Draw Doubles – First Round
Steinbauer/Robertson (VU) def. Stone/Broderick(Kentucky) 8-5
Emery/Tunaru (Alabama) def. Blatt/K. Ulery (VU) 8-6
Gold Draw Doubles – Second Round
Steinbauer/Robertson (VU) def. Rangel/Podlipnik (Mississippi) 9-7
Blatt/ K. Ulery (VU) def. Stone/Broderick (Kentucky) 8-4
