NASHVILLE, Tenn. — WKU Tennis fell by a score of 7-0 in the team's season-opening match at No. 15 Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon. It was the first meeting between the programs since 1984, as the Lady Toppers fell to 1-2 all-time against the Commodores.
"We competed well against what could be a final four team by the end of the year," head coach Greg Davis said. "I think this match will help us going forward."
The highlight of the day was at No. 4 singles, where Tristen Bryant-Otake came within one set of defeating nationally-ranked singles player No. 20 Christina Rosca. After falling the first set 6-1, Bryant-Otake stormed back to win the second set 6-3, but she dropped the third by a score of 6-1 to drop the match.
WKU will turn right around and travel to Louisville on Monday, Jan. 18 for a 1 p.m. CT match at Bellarmine. The Lady Toppers are 6-0 all-time against the Knights, with the first matchup a 7-0 victory in 2006 and the most recent being a 6-1 win in 2014.
It will be Bellarmine's first match of the 2021 campaign. The Knights had an undefeated 9-0 dual match record in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are making the jump to NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2021 after previously competing in Division II and the Great Lakes Athletic Conference.
Final Results
Singles (Order of finish: 3,5,1,2,4,6)
1: Anna Ross (VU) def. Cora-Lynn von Dungern (WKU) 6-3, 6-1
2: Holly Staff (VU) def. Laura Bernardos (WKU) 6-3, 6-2
3: Anessa Lee (VU) def. Samantha Martinez (WKU) 6-0, 6-1
4: Christina Rosca (VU) def. Tristen Bryant-Otake (WKU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
5: Dasha Kourkina (VU) def. Lisa Friess (WKU) 6-1, 6-1
6: Marcella Cruz (VU) def. Alexis Cramer (WKU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles (Order of finish 3,2,1)
1: Kutrz/Ross (VU) vs. Friess/von Dungern (WKU) 6-2
2: Lee/Rosca (VU) def. Bryant-Otake/Joch (WKU) 6-1
3: Cruz/Staff (VU) def. Bernardos/Martinez (WKU) 6-1
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