Ole Miss Women’s Tennis Defeated 4-2 in SEC Championships Second Round by Vanderbilt

 No. 46 Ole Miss Women’s Tennis (13-11) lost 4-2 in the second round of the SEC Tennis Championships versus No. 31 Vanderbilt (16-8) on Thursday. The match was played at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex. The Rebels were the No. 9 seed in the tournament and Vanderbilt was the No. 8 seed.

Ole Miss women’s tennis was defeated for the second time this week by Vanderbilt, falling to the Commodores 4-2 in the SEC Tournament on Sunday. The Rebels fell to the Commodores on the road, 4-1, in the regular season finale last Sunday. In similar fashion, the Commodores won the doubles point 2-1 and earned three singles victories to defeat the Rebels.

The Rebels challenged the Commodores in doubles, earning one doubles match. Rachel Krzyak and Lillian Gabrielsen won 6-4 at No. 3 Doubles versus Dasa Kourkina and MaryAnn Rompf; however, Vanderbilt took No. 1 Doubles, 6-1, and clinched the opening point by claiming No. 2 Doubles, 6-4. Vanderbilt led 1-0 in the match.

For the second consecutive match Sabina Machalova leveled the score 1-1. No. 48 Machalova defeated the higher-ranked No. 41 Anna Ross in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Machalova earned her third straight singles win.

The Commodores regained the lead, 2-1, by taking No. 5 Singles. Kourkina defeated Gabrielsen in two sets, 6-2 in each set.

The Rebels stayed in the fight, re-tying the match 2-2 by claiming No. 4 Singles. Rachel Krzyzak downed Yufei Long in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, one match after falling to the same opponent just four days previous. All three remaining matches went to three sets.

Vanderbilt went on to win the next two matches to claim the victory. No. 91 Holly Staff knocked-off Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher 6-4 in the third set at No. 2 Singles and No. 86 Anessa Lee defeated Ludmila Kareisová 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. No. 31 Vanderbilt defeated No. 46 Ole Miss 4-2.

No. 6 Singles went unfinished with Reka Zadori trailing 5-4 in the third set to Vanderbilt’s Amy Stevens.

Up Next:  The NCAA Division I team tournament will be released in a selection show on May 2 at 5:30 p.m. CT. The singles and doubles brackets will be announced on May 3 in a press release.

Vanderbilt 4, Ole Miss 2

Doubles

1. No. 40 Anna Ross/Holly Staff (VANDY) def. No. 84 Sabina Machalova/Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher, 6-1

2. Marcella Cruz/Anessa Lee (VANDY) def. Keksey Mize/Ludmila Kareisová, 6-4

3. Lillian Gabrielsen/Rachel Krzyzak def. Dasha Kourkina/MaryAnn Rompf (VANDY), 6-4

Singles

1. No. 48 Sabina Machalova def. No. 41 Anna Ross (VANDY), 6-1, 6-3

2. No. 91 Holly Staff (VANDY) def. Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4

3. No. 86 Anessa Lee def. Ludmila Kareisova, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1

4. Rachel Krzyzak  def. Yufei Long (VANDY), 7-5, 6-3

5. Dasha Kourkina (VANDY) def. Lillian Gabrielsen, 6-2, 6-2

6. Amy Stevens (VANDY) vs. Reka Zadori, 6-3, 3-6, 5-4 (unfinished)

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports