After upsetting the No. 1 seed in last week's tournament, senior Amanda Taylor took some time to talk to The Vanderbilt Hustler about a number of topics, including her favorite tennis player and team goals.

VH: How was it defeating the number one ranked Megan Falcon?
AT: It was a really fun match to play. I didn't really feel that stressed about it because she was the No. 1 seed. But I think it will mean more if I can do it in the spring when we play LSU in the regular season.

VH: Sounds like you worked hard this summer. Can you take us through a typical summer day for you?
AT: I spent the summer doing an internship in Washington, D.C. So I didn't get to play that much over the summer. I think when I got back for the fall, I was really excited to even be able to play again, so I definitely tried to do some extra workouts and get some extra hits in to try to get ready for the fall season, but it's still a continuous process. I'm still trying get more and more ready for the spring.

VH: What are the team's goals and your goals for the season?
AT: I think we are trying to work hard enough in the fall so that we will be ready to accomplish a lot in the spring. I think ultimately we have some pretty lofty goals, but more than anything, we're just trying to stay together as a group because we are a small team. We're just trying to make it more about the process than about the outcome.

VH: Tennis is basically a year-round sport. How is it balancing that, academics and everything else?
AT: It can be a struggle if you don't stay on top of it. I think, especially when you're missing a lot of school, it's important to be in really good communication with your teachers. It's really just about time management. For me, it's making lists.

VH: How did you start playing tennis? When did you start?
AT: I started playing because my older sisters played, and I didn't want to be left out. I started when I was maybe five or six, and then I never stopped.

VH: You're from Washington state. How did you find out about Vanderbilt?
AT: My older sister went to David Lipscomb, and my grandma also used to live in Nashville, and we have a lot of family in the area. And I knew Vanderbilt had a really good tennis program. So I looked around a lot of places, and through the whole recruiting process I liked Vanderbilt the best.

VH: You've been active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Vanderbilt. How did you get involved with that?
AT: I have been doing FCA since the beginning of my freshman year. It's really just a fantastic group of people, and that's why I kept coming. It's historically been small, but I eventually took on a leadership role with it, and now I'm co-leading it with a lot of other people. We have a lot more people coming and younger people, so it's really been a huge blessing in my life all four years, a huge encouragement.

VH: Do you hope to play tennis following college?
AT: I still am leaving open the option of playing more. But I also have a lot of other things that I want to try and think about pursuing. I am looking into possibly law school or grad school or something else depending on where things end up.

VH: Who is your favorite tennis player?
AT: Monica Seles.

VH: How often do you switch rackets?
AT: Almost never. I've had my racket for three years.

VH: What is your most memorable moment as a Vanderbilt tennis player?
AT: I don't know if I have just one. I think more than anything it's the small moments that I have with my team off the court more than any kind of accomplishment. I hope we have our best moments this year.