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Vanderbilt University women’s tennis team beat Northwestern, at home, continuing its winning streak. Dores will return to play February 25 for a doubleheader at Montgomery Bell Academy, against Austin Peay and Tennessee State.
Dores claim the victory💪🤧#AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/6Nw2Yf8LLh
— Vanderbilt Women’s Tennis (@VandyWTennis) February 11, 2024
Coach Aleke Tsoubanos analyzed the victory at the end of the match: “I was extremely impressed with all the doubles. I think every time we competed in doubles it went a little better, which was a tribute to the girls who came out and the work they’re doing. They’re able to finish match play, which is what you want to see.
In singles, we were able to close out matches on courts 5 and 4, which pushed us and gave us a some momentum, and it was huge. For Bridget it was one point at a time with really simple decisions and really simple tennis, but I’m so proud of the way she pulled it off.
We bonded really well as a group. In the Overall it was an incredible team game. Northwestern is a great team and very well coached, so we should feel really good about this win.”
Dores clinched the doubles point, giving Vanderbilt the edge over the Wildcats. Anessa Lee/Célia-Belle Mohr led Vandy to a 6-1 victory over Northwestern’s Justine Leong/Elisa Van Meeteren. Bridget Stammel and Valeria Ray clinched the point for the Dores with their fifth straight win of the season against Christina Hand/Sydney Pratt.
The singles play began with Mohr withdrawing due to illness. Dores did not give up, facing the courts one after the other in single matches. Holly Staff led the team, taking the first singles point over her opponent in straight sets. Dores got another series win with Ray defeating the Wildcats’ Autumn Rabjohns, giving Vandy a 3-1 lead. Sonya Macavei and Lee fell to Pratt and Maria Shusharina respectively.
Stammel got the win in the third set, earning the fourth point for Vanderbilt and clinching the match.
Women’s singles:
1. Leong (Northwest) def. No. 16 Mohr by retirement 6-1
2. Shusharina (northwestern) def. No. 119 Lee 7-5, 6-3
3. No. 23 Stammel (Vanderbilt) def. Hand 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. No. 110 Ray (Vanderbilt) def. A. Rabjohn 6-4, 6-4
5. Stick (Vanderbilt) def. Britany Lau 6-3, 6-2
6. Pratt (Northwestern) def. Macavei 6-2, 6-2
Women’s doubles:
1. No. 23 Lee/Mohr (Vanderbilt) def. Leong/Van Meeteren 6-1
2. Ray/Stammel (Vanderbilt) def. Hand/Pratt 6-4
3. Macavei/Staff (Vanderbilt) vs. unfinished Lau/Shusharina
