This past weekend, Vanderbilt Women’s Tennis played two dual matches at home against Florida and South Carolina. In Friday’s dual match, the Commodores played a tough match against the Gators, but Florida left with a 4-3 win. In Sunday’s dual match, Vanderbilt came up short against South Carolina, again losing 4-3.
Florida
Vanderbilt started Friday’s match by losing the doubles point to Florida. Florida’s Carly Briggs and Qavia Lopez won the first match of the day, defeating Vanderbilt’s No. 69 Valeria Ray and Holly Staff 6-2. Not long afterwards, Florida’s Rachel Gailis and Bente Spee took down Vanderbilt’s Sonya Macavei and Amy Stevens, 6-1. In one of the day’s more anticipated matchups, Vanderbilt’s No. 25 Anessa Lee and Celia-Belle Mohr faced off against Florida’s No. 30 Alicia Dudeney and Malwina Rowinska. Lee and Mohr had had a 4-3 lead before the double’s point was called.
In singles play, Vanderbilt started strong with a dominant and important victory. No. 17 Mohr beat No. 13 Gailis in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, giving Vanderbilt a crucial win to bring the overall score to 1-1. Unfortunately for the Commodores, that was their last win before Friday’s dual match was called for Florida. No. 64 Sara Dahlstrom dominated Ray 6-3, 6-2 and No. 86 Briggs dominated Lee 7-6 (5), 6-3, both winning in straight sets. In Florida’s final win of the night, No. 119 Lopez defeated Stevens in a three-set match 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, bringing the total score to 4-1, and giving the Gators a victory over the Commodores. Vanderbilt won the next two matches, as Macavei and Staff both got wins in close matches against Rowinska 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4 and Dudeney 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, respectively.
South Carolina
Vanderbilt began Sunday’s match with a doubles win as Staff and Ray defeated Sahar Biran and Elise Mills, 6-4. However, the Gamecocks defeated the Commodores in the other two doubles matches, where Mohr and Lee were defeated by Akli and Hammer, 6-2, and Macevei and Stevens were defeated by Olympe Lancelot and Malkin 6-4. Vanderbilt had lost the doubles point.
In singles play, Vanderbilt went point-for-point with South Carolina. Stevens defeated Misa Malkin 6-4, 6-3, which allowed the Commodores to even the score at 1-1. Lacelot continued her winning streak, defeating Macevei 6-4, 6-3, while Staff also defeated Mills with a 6-4, 7-5 win. Unfortunately, Ray was then defeated by Sarah Hamner in the third set, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. Then, Mohr evened out the score again, defeating No. 6 Ayana Aklu in three sets. Lee then forced a third set but eventually fell 7-6.
“Overall an incredible college tennis match,” head coach Aleke Trsoubanos said. “I’m incredibly proud of our seniors and the way the team left it all on the court today. We’ve got to improve our play in doubles, which has hurt us in these close matches, but our fight and attitude were awesome. This team is knocking on the door, and if we can continue to compete this way I think we can turn these kinds of matches around.”
The Commodores will be back in action this weekend on Friday, April 12 and Sunday, April 14 when they take on No. 7 Georgia and No. 18 Tennessee, respectively.
