Feb. 9, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s tennis team swept doubles play and earned victories in No. 1 and No. 2 singles, but lost a heartbreaker in its home opener to No. 31 Ohio State 4-3 Wednesday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Kentucky (0-4) opened the match with three thrilling victories in doubles play to take the doubles point and open the match with a 1-0 lead.
The freshman duo of Khristina Blajkevitch and Cece Witten defeated Kelsey Haviland and Gabby Steele of Ohio State 8-6 at the No. 2 doubles position. Trailing 6-4 earlier in the match, Blajkevitch and Witten dug in and rallied to break Haviland and Steele twice and win the match’s final four games to win 8-6. Haviland and Steele entered the match ranked No. 50 in doubles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Kentucky’s No. 1 doubles team of senior Megan Broderick and sophomore Jessica Stiles then defeated Cami Hubbs and Paloma Escobedo 9-8 (1) to clinch the doubles point for the Wildcats. Hubbs and Escobedo held the No. 64 doubles ranking by the ITA entering the match.
Freshmen Caitlin McGraw and Misha Testerman completed the doubles portion of the overall match with a back-and-forth 9-8 (5) victory. The two teams of Broderick/Stiles and McGraw/Testerman each faced 6-5 deficits earlier in their respective matches before rallying for victories.
Stiles led the Cats in singles, cruising to a straight-set 6-1, 6-1 victory to give Kentucky a 2-0 lead over the visiting Buckeyes (3-2).
Following two losses in singles play that tied the overall match at two points apiece, Broderick defeated Escobedo in the match of the day 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-1. After a tough loss in the second set, Broderick regrouped in the third set to dispatch Escobedo and give the Cats a 3-2 lead heading into the afternoon’s decisive final two matches.
The Buckeyes’ Cami Hubbs put together a strong match with Witten throughout and came out on top 6-4, 7-5 to tie the overall match 3-3.
Fidan Manashirova then defeated McGraw 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to give Ohio State the come from behind 4-3 victory.
Kentucky will hit the road once again to face off against No. 19 Northwestern Friday in Evanston, Ill. The match will begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Check out UKathletics.com for all Kentucky women’s tennis news and results.
AGATE
Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
February 9, 2011
No. 31 Ohio State 4, Kentucky 3
Doubles competition:
No. 1 – Broderick/Stiles (UK) def. No. 64 Hubbs/Escobedo (OSU) 9-8 (1)
No. 2 – Blajkevitch/Witten (UK) def. No. 50 Steele/Haviland (OSU) 8-6
No. 3 – McGraw/Testerman (UK) def. Cecil/Malley (OSU) 9-8 (5)
Singles competition:
No. 1 – Megan Broderick (UK) def. Paloma Escobedo (OSU), 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-1
No. 2 – Jessica Stiles (UK) def. No. 125 Kelsey Haviland (OSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 – Kara Cecil (OSU) def. Khristina Blajkevitch (UK) 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 – Gabby Steele (OSU) def. Marni Venter (UK), 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 – Fidan Manashirova (OSU) def. Caitlin McGraw (UK) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
No. 6 – Cami Hubbs (OSU) def. Cece Witten (UK) 6-4, 7-5
Order of finish: Doubles: 2, 1*, 3 Singles: 2, 3, 4, 1, 6, 5*
