Kentucky Rallies to Defeat No. 23 Ole Miss, 4-2

Results
(PDF)

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 20 Kentucky women’s tennis team picked up its second straight ranked win on Friday evening, downing No. 23 Ole Miss 4-2 inside the Boone Tennis Complex. With the victory, the Wildcats move to 10-2 on the season and 2-1 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Rebels fall to 10-2 (1-1 SEC).  

“I am grateful for our team,” said head coach Carlos Dradá. “Everyone competed with heart and genuinely enjoyed the pressure in the match. We played a well-coached, high-level team and we are grateful to have gotten a win. We can’t wait for Sunday (to face Mississippi State).”

Despite dropping the doubles point for just the second time this season, UK fought hard to even the score at 1-1 as junior Mami Adachi defeated Zalina Khairudinova in straight sets in No. 3 singles. The lead was short lived though, as Ole Miss would regain its advantage with a win over Emily Fanning on court four.

From there, Kentucky rallied to win three straight singles matches and ultimately earn the overall victory. Sophomore Akvile Paražinskaite tied the match at 2-2, as she battled to earn a 7-6 (5), 6-4 triumph on court two. Soon after, 16th-ranked Aldila Sutjiadi picked up her first ranked win of the spring season as she took down No. 47 Arianne Hartono 7-6 (3), 7-5 to give Kentucky a 3-2 advantage.

It was sophomore Justina Mikulskyte who gave UK its final score of 4-2 as she overwhelmed Ole Miss’ Tea Jandric 6-4, 6-2 on court five.

Kentucky will continue its home stretch at the Boone Tennis Center on Sunday, taking on its fourth SEC opponent in No. 33 Mississippi State on Sunday at noon.

1 – No. 33 Hartono/Vrbenska (OM) def. No. 5 Sutjiadi/Adachi (UK), 6-3

2 – Suk/Bortles (OM) def. Paražinskaite/Chumney (UK), 6-4

3 – Mikulskyte/Fanning (UK) def. Khairudinova/Jandric (OM), 6-4

1 – No. 16 Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. No. 47 Arianne Hartono (OM), 7-6 (3), 7-5

2 – Akvile Paražinskaite (UK) def. Natalie Suk (OM), 7-6 (5), 6-4

3 – Mami Adachi (UK) def. Zalina Khairudinova (OM), 6-3, 6-4

4 – Anna Vrbenska (OM) def. Emily Fanning (UK), 7-5, 6-1

5 – Justina Mikulskyte (UK) def. Tea Jandric (OM), 6-4, 6-2

6 – Morgan Chumney (UK) vs. Alexa Bortles (OM) 4-6, 3-4, unfinished

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