Blue Raiders fall to Vandy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - No.13 Vanderbilt was too much for Middle Tennessee on Wednesday night as the Blue Raiders fell 7-0 to the Commodores, who have three nationally ranked singles players.

Vanderbilt (7-0) swept the doubles point to begin the match. Middle Tennessee's (3-8) senior Ann-Kristin Siljestrom and junior Elvira Yusupova fell to Amanda Taylor and Courtney Ulery 8-0. Then No. 33 Taka Bertrand and Catherine Newman defeated senior Claudia Szabo and junior Marlene Chemin 8-3 in No. 2 doubles.

Wrapping up doubles action for the Blue Raiders, sophomore Stephanie Parkison and freshman Shannon Hartmann lost their match 8-2 to Caroline Ferrel and Keilly Ulery.

In singles play, Siljestrom fell to No. 29 Taylor 6-0, 6-1 and Szabo lost her match 6-0, 6-0 to Bertrand. Yusupova lost her first set 6-3 but battled in the second set before losing 7-5 to No. 48 Courtney Ulery.

This was the Blue Raiders' pattern for the next two matches as Chemin and Parkison each forced the second set to go 7-5. Chemin fell to Keilly Ulery 6-1, 7-5 while Parkison lost to No. 43 Newman 6-3, 7-5.

Junior Pooja Kommireddi rounded out play for Middle Tennessee as she fell to Ferrel 6-3, 7-4.

The Blue Raiders will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 24. On Saturday Middle Tennessee will play Arkansas-Little Rock at 5:30 p.m. in Little Rock, Ark. Then Sunday, the Blue Raiders will travel to Jonesboro, Ark., to face Arkansas State at 11 a.m.

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.