Women's Tennis Holds Off No. 21 Alabama on the Road, 5-2 4/6/03

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 10th-ranked Vanderbilt women's tennis team had to endure a lot over the last 48 hours, which included having its match with Auburn moved from Friday to Saturday, then having to travel immediately to Tuscaloosa for a Sunday afternoon confrontation with Alabama and then finally get back on the road and return to Nashville. Through it all, the Commodores were still able to post a 2-0 record, which included a difficult, 5-2, triumph over No. 21 Alabama.

With the win, the Commodores improve their overall record to 17-3 and 8-2 in the conference, while the Crimson Tide fall to 15-6 overall and 5-5 in the SEC.

The Commodores kicked things off by clinching their 18th doubles point in 20 matches. The top-ranked team of senior Sarah Riske and junior Aleke Tsoubanos were able to hold off the 59th-ranked team of Millie Begovic and Robin Stephenson, 8-6. Riske and Tsoubanos are now 26-4 on the year and 17-3 in dual matches.

Vanderbilt's 26th-ranked team of junior Kelly Schmandt and sophomore Audra Falk notched the other doubles victory, as they defeated Sophie Cremers and Ashley Bentley, 8-4. Schmandt and Falk are now 19-5 on the season. The Commodores only defeat in doubles came at the No. 3 position.

The six singles matches, which were all played indoors due to inclement weather, were highly competitive. The Commodores first win in singles came from Riske at the No. 1 position, as she battled back from one set down to defeat Cremers, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0. She has now won eight-straight dual matches and is 17-3 in the team's 20 matches.

Alabama picked up its first point when Robin Stephenson defeated Falk in straight sets at the No. 3 position, 6-4, 6-1. Despite being ahead in the team scoring, the Commodores seemed to be in a lot of troubles, as they trailed in every match.

Freshman Ashley Schellhas improved to 16-2 in dual matches, as she clawed her way past Bentley, 7-6, 6-4. Schellhas is now 24-3 (.889 winning percentage) for the 2002-03 season.

The Commodores other two wins came in long three-set matches. Tsoubanos was able to battle back after dropping the first set to Begovic at the No. 2 position to knot the match at one set all. With Begovic leading 5-4 in the final set, she was forced to default due to an injury. With the win, Tsoubanos improves to 17-3 in dual matches. Schmandt also came back from one set down, as she held off Marie-France Lord-Andrade, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Schmandt is now 16-2 for the 2003 portion of the season.

Vanderbilt will conclude its 2003 regular season at 12 p.m. Saturday against No. 15-ranked Kentucky at the Hillary J. Boone Tennis Center in Lexington, Ky. The Commodores defeated the Cats last season in Nashville, 7-0.

Singles

Doubles