[ColoradoTree]

[quote author=ColoradoTree link=topic=18631.msg222543#msg222543 date=1517117552] If Lord *isn’t* healthy for Vanderbilt, though, our prospects are a good bit dimmer for that match.

Yes. If Yee plays #6 against Vanderbilt she will lose. So if we don't win the doubles point, we'd have to win 4 out of the top 5 courts in singles to take the match. With the doubles point in hand, 3 out of 5 is doable, although we are going to have a tough time winning on Court 1 whether it's Lord or Gordon. Vandy's Sharma is an experienced redshirt senior, a top player who just got back from losing a close doubles match in the first round of the Australian Open. She's extremely good.
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Normally I'd say we're not going to win the doubles point if we're shorthanded.  But Vanderbilt, as good as they are, are somewhat vulnerable in doubles.  Against Nebraska this weekend, an unranked team with no ranked singles or doubles players, Vanderbilt lost the doubles point, falling at #2 and #3 while #1 doubles was still in a tiebreaker.  Then against Florida State, lost the doubles point again, losing at #2, winning at #3, and falling just short in a tiebreaker at #1).  Vanderbilt's singles strength is such that they rolled 4-1 in both matches anyway, but getting that doubles point will be crucial for Stanford.  The most straightforward path to a win seems to be to capture doubles, and do well enough in the matches on the #3-#6 courts that you don't have to count on a returning Lord at #1 against Sharma, or need Gordon to beat the #4 player in the country at #2.  And again, that's if Lord is back.  Even if Lord isn't totally 100%, it would do wonders for our lineup to have her hold down the #1 spot. 

And as good as Sharma is (closed out last year ranked #2), she might not still be the best player on the team, given how Fernanda Contreras has come on this fall (now ranked #4 in the country).  If Lord is healthy, it would be odd to see two Top 15 players match up at the #2 slot in the lineup in Contreras and Gordon, but I'll take it!

As good as our top courts seem to be over last year, our standard path to victory this year seems like it will be much like last year--singles wins on the back courts. 

[ColoradoTree]

[quote author=ColoradoTree link=topic=18631.msg222543#msg222543 date=1517117552] If Lord *isn’t* healthy for Vanderbilt, though, our prospects are a good bit dimmer for that match.

Yes. If Yee plays #6 against Vanderbilt she will lose. So if we don't win the doubles point, we'd have to win 4 out of the top 5 courts in singles to take the match. With the doubles point in hand, 3 out of 5 is doable, although we are going to have a tough time winning on Court 1 whether it's Lord or Gordon. Vandy's Sharma is an experienced redshirt senior, a top player who just got back from losing a close doubles match in the first round of the Australian Open. She's extremely good.
[/quote]

Normally I'd say we're not going to win the doubles point if we're shorthanded.  But Vanderbilt, as good as they are, are somewhat vulnerable in doubles.  Against Nebraska this weekend, an unranked team with no ranked singles or doubles players, Vanderbilt lost the doubles point, falling at #2 and #3 while #1 doubles was still in a tiebreaker.  Then against Florida State, lost the doubles point again, losing at #2, winning at #3, and falling just short in a tiebreaker at #1).  Vanderbilt's singles strength is such that they rolled 4-1 in both matches anyway, but getting that doubles point will be crucial for Stanford.  The most straightforward path to a win seems to be to capture doubles, and do well enough in the matches on the #3-#6 courts that you don't have to count on a returning Lord at #1 against Sharma, or need Gordon to beat the #4 player in the country at #2.  And again, that's if Lord is back.  Even if Lord isn't totally 100%, it would do wonders for our lineup to have her hold down the #1 spot. 

And as good as Sharma is (closed out last year ranked #2), she might not still be the best player on the team, given how Fernanda Contreras has come on this fall (now ranked #4 in the country).  If Lord is healthy, it would be odd to see two Top 15 players match up at the #2 slot in the lineup in Contreras and Gordon, but I'll take it!

As good as our top courts seem to be over last year, our standard path to victory this year seems like it will be much like last year--singles wins on the back courts.