March 7, 2010
OXFORD, Miss. –
The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team finished its two-match road trip in the state of Mississippi with a 6-1 loss at No. 38 Ole Miss on Sunday at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. The Wildcats lost 5-2 at Mississippi State on Friday.
Kentucky senior Christine Johnston took the sole victory of the day for the Wildcats at No. 3 singles. Johnston, a Columbus, Ohio native, has been the most consistent player for the Wildcats this season in singles play, boasting a record of 7-3. Johnston earned a hard fought win over Abby Guthrie, rallying for a 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), 12-10 victory.
UK No. 1 singles player Megan Broderick fell to Karen Nijssen 6-2, 6-2. Such was the story on courts two and three for Wildcats sophomores Caroline Lilley and Minnette Pienaar. Lilley was defeated by Connor Vogel 6-0, 6-0 and Pienaar lost to Laura van de Stroet 6-4, 6-1.
The Rebels swept the doubles point to notch their first point of the match. UK’s pair of Lilley and Pienaar lost 8-4 to Nijssen and Kristi Boxx at No. 1. Johnston and Broderick lost a close match to Vogel and Gabby Rangel, 8-6, at No. 2 doubles. The Wildcat duo of Elle Coldiron and Nicole Scates saw defeat as well, losing at No. 3, 8-1.
The Wildcats will hope for better luck on Friday when Kentucky plays its SEC home opener against Georgia at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center at 4 p.m. EST. UK has played only one other match at home this season, losing 6-1 to Marshall on Feb. 10.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of UK women’s tennis.
AGATE
No. 38 University of Mississippi (8-1, 2-0 SEC), No. 69 Kentucky (1-9, 0-2 SEC)
Singles
1. Karen Nijssen (UM) def. Megan Broderick (UK) 6-2, 6-2
2. Connor Vogel (UM) def. Caroline Lilley (UK) 6-0, 6-0
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Abby Guthrie (UM) 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), (12-10)
4. Laura von de Stroet (UM) def. Minnette Pienaar (UK) 6-4, 6-1
5. Gabby Rangel (UM) def. Elle Coldiron (UK) 6-1, 6-0
6. Soledad Podlipnik (UM) def. Nicole Scates (UK) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1.Kristi Boxx/Karen Nikssen (UM) def. Caroline Lilley/Minnette Pienaar (UK) 8-4
2. Gabby Rangel/Connor Vogel (UM) def. Christine Johnston/Megan Broderick (UK) 8-6
3. Abby Guthrie/Laura van de Stroet (UM) def. Nicole Scates/Elle Coldiron (UK) 8-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (5, 6, 2, 1, 4, 3)
