Tide Women's Tennis Comes Up Short Against Vanderbilt

Friday, April 16, 2004

Robin Stephenson

Nashville, Tenn.—Despite a gallant effort in singles, the seventh seeded Alabama women’s tennis team were not able to overcome a high energy Vanderbilt team (No. 3 ITA) and lost 4-2 in the second round of the SEC Tournament Friday. 

Number two seed Vanderbilt (21-2, 11-1 SEC) jumped out early and won the doubles point with 8-2 wins at No. 1 and No. 2.  The Tide rallied back behind wins from Robin Stephenson at No. 1 and Ashley Bentley at No. 2.  Bentley made quick work of the Commodores’ Kelly Schmandt with a 6-1, 6-3 victory.  Schmandt had defeated Bentley 7-5, 7-5 on March 26, only the second time Bentley had lost all season. 

Stephenson fell behind Vanderbilt’s Audra Falk, number 14 in the country, 5-1 in the first set before saving set points and winning 7-5.  Stephenson fell behind again in the second set 4-2 and fought back to win 6-4.  Falk had also defeated Stephenson on March 26, 7-5, 7-6 (5).  Stephenson went 8-3 in the conference during the regular season.

Despite a loss at No. 3 singles, Alabama was in the match to the end.  Senior Millie Begovic was up 5-2 in the first set at No. 4 singles against Vanderbilt’s 106th-ranked Amanda Fish.  But Fish came back to win 7-5, 6-1 and clinched the match for Vanderbilt.  Alabama Head Coach Jenny Mainz was proud of her team’s effort.

“They (Vanderbilt) are a very good team,” Mainz said.  “They are number three in the country and came out on fire and absolutely dominated the doubles.  But I commend our team for coming out in singles and fighting and getting back in the match.  We made it a dangerous situation for Vanderbilt and I’m proud of the way we competed.”

The No. 32 Tide (13-10, 6-7 SEC) will await an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, set to begin on May 14.  The selection show is on May 5.

Complete Match Results Follow:

#3 Vanderbilt 4, #32 Alabama 2

Doubles:

1.  #3 Schmandt/Tsoubanos (VU) d. #19 Stephenson/Bentley (UA), 8-2
2.  #39 Menees/Falk (VU) d. Begovic/Minor (UA), 8-2
3.  Fish/ Schellhas (VU) led Muller/Koppelle (UA), 7-2 susp.

Order of Finish: 2, 1

Singles:

1.  #44 Robin Stephenson (UA) d. #14 Audra Falk (VU), 7-5, 6-4
2.  #71 Ashley Bentley (UA) d. #40 Kelly Schmandt (VU), 6-1, 6-3
3.  Aleke Tsoubanos (VU) d. Nathalie Koppelle (UA), 6-0, 6-3
4.  #106 Amanda Fish (VU) d. Millie Begovic (UA), 7-5, 6-1*
5.  Ashley Schellhas (VU) d. Melissa Minor (UA), 6-3, 6-2
6.  #121 Annie Menees (VU) led Sonja Nikolic (UA), 6-3, 2-2 susp.

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1, 5, 4

*Clinched Match

MATCH PHOTO GALLERY

SEC Tourney 041604 01
Ashley Bentley warms up before the match