[oldalum]

Vanderbilt is having trouble with doubles just now because their #1 player, Sharma, played on the pro circuit in the fall instead of with the team, so they had no practice with her as a doubles partner. Then, the doubles combos they were using in the fall did not seem to work out well, so they just switched them up for the spring. So essentially all 3 doubles teams are playing together for the first time. They will undoubtedly get much better by the NCAAs, but for now they are obviously vulnerable.

If Lord plays, she doesn't have to win: her bigger contribution may be just to bump everyone below her down a slot, giving them a better chance of winning.

The match, while not critical, is important to us because we perennially have relatively fewer chances than other top teams to win computer ranking points and thus better NCAA seeding.

[oldalum]

Vanderbilt is having trouble with doubles just now because their #1 player, Sharma, played on the pro circuit in the fall instead of with the team, so they had no practice with her as a doubles partner. Then, the doubles combos they were using in the fall did not seem to work out well, so they just switched them up for the spring. So essentially all 3 doubles teams are playing together for the first time. They will undoubtedly get much better by the NCAAs, but for now they are obviously vulnerable.

If Lord plays, she doesn't have to win: her bigger contribution may be just to bump everyone below her down a slot, giving them a better chance of winning.

The match, while not critical, is important to us because we perennially have relatively fewer chances than other top teams to win computer ranking points and thus better NCAA seeding.