Michigan
Vanderbilt
Michigan Rally Falls Short Against Vanderbilt in ITA Kickoff
1/25/2026 6:35:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: ITA Kickoff (Day 2 of 2)
Score: No. 19 Vanderbilt 4, No. 7 Michigan 2
Records: U-M (1-1), Vanderbilt (4-0)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Jan. 30 -- vs. Virginia (Varsity Tennis Center), 5 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team trimmed its deficit to 3-2 and pushed the final two courts to third sets, but could not complete the comeback in a 4-2 loss to No. 19 Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon at the ITA Kickoff at the Varsity Tennis Center.
Vanderbilt claimed the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 3, then extended its lead to 2-0 with a straight-set victory at No. 3 singles.
Reese Miller put Michigan on the board with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 36 Mia Yamakita at No. 4. Miller took control early in both sets and was first off the court, cutting the Commodores' lead in half.
The Commodores answered with a win at No. 1 to push the score to 3-1, but Michigan remained in striking distance. Emily Sartz-Lunde forced a third set at No. 5 to stay on court, Gabriella Lindgren held a first-set advantage and was ahead in her second at No. 6, and Piper Charney secured a first-set win at No. 2.
Lindgren kept the Wolverines alive in the team match, earning a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory at No. 6 to pull Michigan within one point at 3-2. After winning the first-set tiebreaker, Lindgren jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second set and held on to close out the match.
Sartz-Lunde rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the third set, holding serve and then breaking back to level the set at 5-5. At the same time, Charney fell behind a break late in her third set before holding serve to stay within reach.
Sartz-Lunde fought off a match point at No. 5, but Charney was unable to complete the comeback at No. 2, falling in three sets to No. 17 Valeria Ray as Vanderbilt secured the fourth and deciding point.
Michigan returns to action on Friday (Jan. 30), hosting Virginia at the Varsity Tennis Center at 5 p.m.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- Celia Belle Mohr (Vanderbilt) d. No. 32 Lily Jones (U-M), 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 -- No. 17 Valeria Ray (Vanderbilt) d. No. 3 Piper Charney (U-M), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- No. 33 Bridget Stammel (Vanderbilt) d. No. 85 Jessica Bernales (U-M), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 -- No. 80 Reese Miller (U-M) d. No. 36 Mia Yamakita (Vanderbilt), 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 -- Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) vs. Trinetra Vijayakumar (Vanderbilt), 3-6, 6-2, 5-6, abandoned
No. 6 -- Gabriella Lindgren (U-M) d. Erin Pearce (Vanderbilt), 7-6 (5), 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 2 Celia Belle Mohr/Sophia Webster (Vanderbilt) vs. No. 43 Jessica Bernales/Lily Jones (U-M), 4-5, abandoned
No. 2 -- No. 13 Valeria Ray/Bridget Stammel (Vanderbilt) d. Piper Charney/Gabriella Lindgren (U-M), 6-3
No. 3 -- No. 46 Mia Yamakita/Erin Pearce (Vanderbilt) d. Reese Miller/Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M), 6-1
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2; Singles 3-4-1-6-2
Players Mentioned
