April 11, 2010
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – –
Four University of Kentucky men’s tennis players recorded straight-set victories as the 11th-ranked Wildcats cruised to a 5-2 win over No. 59 Arkansas Sunday at the George M. Billingsley Center.
The victory gives Kentucky (20-7, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) its 11th 20-win season under 28th-year head coach Dennis Emery, the program’s first since 2005.
UK battled Arkansas early in doubles play before earning a pair of victories to take the first point of the match. Sophomore Alex Musialek and freshman Anthony Rossi, both from France, charted an 8-5 win over Arkansas’ Matthew Hogan and Nikolas Zogaj at No. 3 doubles. UK’s 13th-ranked tandem of sophomore Eric Quigley and junior Brad Cox out-fought Christopher Nott and Dmitry Lebedev 9-7 at No. 1 doubles.
The Wildcats continued their success in singles play, building their advantage to 3-0 with two quick victories at Nos. 4 and 2. Rossi defeated Zogaj 6-1, 6-2 at No. 4 while Musialek notched a 6-0, 6-0 win against Mebedev at No. 2. Tenth-ranked Quigley sealed UK’s team victory with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over No. 60 Nott. UK junior Alberto Gonzalez outlasted Arkansas’ Gregory Lehmann with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles.
UK’s Cox and senior Alex Lambropoulos were forced to retire in their matches due to the Wildcats’ travel plans. Cox lost his first set with Arkansas’ Hogan 7-6 but was tied 3-3 in the second set when play stopped. Lambropoulos was trailing 1-0 in the third set when his contest with Michael Ward of Arkansas was stopped. Lambropoulos won the first set 6-4, but dropped the second set 6-3.
“Our players did a very good job of preparing for this match,” Emery said. “They were professional and we had to be to win this one. Arkansas got off to a great start and Nos. 1 and 2 doubles to put us in a hole, but we did a good job to fight back.
“In singles, we just had too much momentum,” Emery said. “We have some good players and when we play that way it is hard for teams to stop us.”
Kentucky wraps up its regular-season schedule this week with three matches at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis complex. The Wildcats play host to Lipscomb and Centre on Tuesday, beginning at 1 p.m. before concluding conference action against Vanderbilt on Saturday at 1 p.m.
AGATE
No. 11 Kentucky 5 at No. 59 Arkansas 2
George M. Billingsley Center
Fayetteville, Ark.
Singles
1. No. 10 Eric Quigley (UK) def. No. 60 Christopher Nott, (ARK) 6-1, 6-4
2. No. 44 Alex Musialek (UK) def. Dmitry Lebedev (ARK) 6-0, 6-0
3. Matthew Hogan (ARK) def. Brad Cox (UK) 7-6, 3-3 ret.
4. Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Nikolas Zogaj (ARK) 6-1, 6-2
5. Alberto Gonzalez (UK) def. Gregoire Lehmann (ARK) 7-5, 6-3
6. Michael Ward (ARK) def. Alex Lambropoulos (UK) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 ret.
Order of Finish: 4,2, 1, 5, 6, 3
Doubles
1. No. 13 Eric Quigley/Brad Cox (UK) def. No. 68 Christopher Nott/Dmitry Lebedev (ARK) 9-7
2. Alberto Gonzalez/Alex Lambropolous (UK) vs. Bradwin Williams/Taylor King (ARK) DNF
3. Alex Musialek/Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Matthew Hogan/Nikolas Zogaj (ARK) 8-5
