The Vanderbilt Women’s Tennis team traveled to Athens, Ga., to compete in the SEC Tournament. In conference play, the Commodores earned a 6-7 record, which earned them a No. 7 ranking in the conference championship series. 

First round (Thursday, April 18, 2024): No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Ole Miss (Vanderbilt win 4-2)

In the first round of the SEC tournament, Vanderbilt faced the No. 10 seed in Ole Miss. The Commodores started strong during the matchup when the doubles team of Anessa Lee and Amy Stevens defeated Ole Miss’s Briana Crowley and Andrea Nova 6-4. Following the Lee/Stevens win, Celia-Belle Mohr and Holly Staff secured the doubles point for the Commodores when the pair won their matchup 6-4. 

In singles points, Staff quickly helped to add another Commodore point to the board, collecting a straight-set victory. Freshman Valeria Ray also collected a three-set win on Court 3 by defeating Ole Miss Rebel Anaelle Leclerq-Ficher6-1 and 6-3 in the second and third sets, respectively. Despite Vanderbilt players No. 12 Mohr and Stevens dropping their matches in three sets and two sets, respectively, the Commodores secured the win when Lee came up with a three-set victory over Emma Kette. 

“I thought the team today brought great energy and fight,” Lee said of her team’s performance in the first round. 

Singles:

1. Hrastar (Ole Miss) def. #12 Mohr 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. #77 Stammel (Vanderbilt) vs. Kareisova 5-7, 6-3, 3-4 (unfinished)
3. Ray (Vanderbilt) def. Leclercq-Ficher 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
4. Lee (Vanderbilt) def. Kette 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
5. Staff (Vanderbilt) def. Crowley 6-2, 6-2
6. Krzyzak (Ole Miss) def. Stevens 7-5, 7-6(1)

Doubles: 

1. Mohr/Staff (Vanderbilt) def. Hrastar/Leclercq-Ficher 6-4
2. Stammel/Ray (Vanderbilt) vs. Ludmila Kareisova/ Lucie Devier 5-5 (unfinished)
3. Lee/Stevens (Vanderbilt) def. Crowley/Nova 6-4

Quarterfinals/Second Round (Friday, April 19, 2024): No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 2 Texas A&M (Texas A&M win 4-0)

Vanderbilt was eliminated from the SEC tournament in the quarterfinal round by the Texas A&M Aggies with a final score of 4-0. 

Mohr and Staff claimed a convincing 6-2 win over Aggies’ duo Mary Stoiana and Mia Kupres in the doubles round. However, Texas A&M bounced back to gain wins on courts two and three to secure the doubles point. 

The Aggies rode the momentum gained in the doubles round by securing another two quick wins. No. 1 Stoiana defeated Vanderbilt’s Stammell in two sets, while Ray also fell to A&M’s Khirin in two sets. The back-to-back Aggie wins put Vanderbilt down 3-0 in the match. Texas A&M gained the victory when Vanderbilt’s Staff fell to Lucciana Perez. 

Singles:

1. #12 Mohr (Vanderbilt) vs. Branstine 6-7, 2-3 (unfinished)
2. #1 Stoiana (Texas A&M) def. #77 Stammel 6-1, 6-3 
3. #19 Khirin (Texas A&M def. Ray 6-1, 6-2
4. Lee (Vanderbilt) vs. #41 Kupres 1-6, 5-5 (unfinished)
5. Perez (Texas A&M) def. Staff 6-3, 6-3
6. Stevens (Vanderbilt) vs. Mireles 2-6, 5-5 (unfinished)

Doubles:

1. Mohr/Staff (Vanderbilt) def. #3 Stoiana/Kupres 6-2
2. Khirin/Branstine (Texas A&M) def. Stammel/Ray 6-3
3. Perez/Mireles (Texas A&M) def. Lee/Stevens 6-3

Vanderbilt’s loss to A&M marks the third straight year that the Aggies have eliminated the Commodores from the SEC tournament. 

The Commodores will wait to see if they are given an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals. Selections for regional tournaments will occur on April 29, and play for the regionals will occur on May 3-5.