COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the second round of the NCAA Regional at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center, the No. 31 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team dueled No. 12 Ohio State and took a 4-3 victory when Célia-Belle Mohr overcame Irina Cantos Siemers in the third set.
Vanderbilt fought in doubles and secured the early lead when No. 53 Mohr and Holly Staff defeated Shelly Bereznyak and Cantos Siemers 6-0. Anessa Lee and Amy Stevens fell on Court 3, but Valeria Ray and Bridget Stammel grabbed a 6-4 win over Audrey Spencer and Luciana Perry.
The Dores went point-for-point with the Buckeyes in singles, but the turning point was when sophomore Stammel defeated No. 50 Perry in two sets on Court 2.
“Everyone was fighting so hard and that really helped me with my match because the energy was electric all around,” said Stammel. “When I won to make it 3-3, I knew CB was going to do it for us. There’s no one better to be in that position than her. I’m just so excited and happy for this team because we have all worked so hard.”
After Vandy won the doubles point, Staff led the Dores in singles on Court 5 when she overcame Teah Chavez in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0 and Vanderbilt led 2-0. Lee succumbed to Bereznyak on Court 4 and Stevens fell on Court 6 to her Buckeye opponent, and the score was evened at 2-2. Ray was defeated on Court 3 by No. 114 Sydni Ratliff and shortly after Stammel added another point for Vandy, and the score was 3-3. The decision was left to 13th-ranked Mohr, and she delivered when she beat No. 17 Cantos Siemers in a third set, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“I am very proud of the way my teammates and I competed,” said Mohr. “From one to six the girls were battling, which gave me confidence to survive and advance in my match.”
Vanderbilt advances to the NCAA Super Regionals in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they will take on fifth-seeded Virginia on Saturday with the time to be determined.
Singles
1. #13 Mohr (Vanderbilt) def. #17 Cantos Siemers 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. #74 Stammel (Vanderbilt) def. #50 Perry 7-5, 6-4
3. #114 Ratliff (Ohio State) def. Ray 6-3, 6-4
4. Bereznyak (Ohio State) def. Lee 6-0, 6-1
5. Staff (Vanderbilt) def. Chavez 6-3, 6-0
6. Spencer (Ohio State) def. Stevens 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1. #53 Mohr/Staff (Vanderbilt) def. Bereznyak/Cantos Siemers 6-0
2. Stammel/Ray (Vanderbilt) def. Spencer/Perry 6-4
3. Madeline Atway/Chavez (Ohio State) def. Lee/Stevens 6-3