Women's Tennis Falls to Fifth-Ranked Georgia, 4-3 2/28/03
Commodores win doubles point in 11th-straight match

ATHENS, Ga. - The ninth-ranked Vanderbilt women's tennis team fell short in its upset bid against Southeastern Conference rival and fifth-ranked Georgia on Friday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, 4-3. With the loss, the Commodores fall to 9-2 overall and 0-1 in the SEC, while the Bulldogs up their record to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

The Commodores seemed to be in good shape, as they notched the important doubles point despite senior Sarah Riske and junior Aleke Tsoubanos losing at the No. 1 position. Sophomore Annie Menees and freshman Ashley Schellhas clinched the doubles point at the No. 3 position, as they defeated Anne Nguyen and Douglas Wink, 8-6.

The No. 39-ranked team of junior Kelly Schmandt and sophomore Audra Falk picked up Vanderbilt's other doubles win, as they eased by Tina Hojnik and Evgenia Subbotina, 8-4, at the second doubles positon. The only doubles came the No. 1 position, as the third-ranked team of Riske and Tsoubanos had their 14-match winning streak come to an end with a tough 9-7 loss to No. 18-ranked Agata Cioroch and Lori Grey.

Vanderbilt's only two singles victories came at the bottom of the line-up, as Schellhas defeated Subbotina in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Menees also scored a win at the No. 6 spot, as she cruised by Alexandra Smith, 7-5, 6-3.

Schmandt was the only other Commodore that really had a shot at winning her match, but she lost to No. 66-ranked Hojnik, 7-6, 6-3. The No. 44-ranked Falk had her 2002-03 undefeated streak come to an end, as she fell to Grey in a lopsided contest, 6-2, 6-1. Prior to the match, she was 15-0 overall and 10-0 in dual matches.

The 12th-ranked Riske did not have an easy time with second-ranked Cioroch, as she lost, 6-1, 6-4. The loss ended Riske's three-match winning streak.

The Commodores will have another difficult challenge at 1 p.m. (EST) Sunday againsst 11th-ranked Tennessee at the Goodfriend Tennis Complex in Knoxville, Tenn. Vanderbilt split last year's two meetings with Tennessee.

Singles

Doubles