Jan. 30, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Wildcat women’s tennis team (3-0 overall, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) knocked out two of its opponents in its double double-header weekend. Kentucky overpowered East Tennessee State (0-2, 0-0) in the morning, 6-1, and went on to roll in-state rival Eastern Kentucky (3-2, 0-0), 7-0.
The Blue and White started the morning with a quick win in doubles. UK’s number one pair of Carolina Escamilla and Christine Johnston, nationally ranked No. 42, took court one, 8-2, just after Megan Broderick and Caroline Lilley secured court three. Broderick and Lilley gave up only one game.
During singles, Escamilla again clinched the match for the Cats on court two against the Bucs’ Tara Byrne. Escamilla broke Byrne to gain the lead at 3-2 in the first set and never let go. The Wildcat had to break Byrne’s serve in the second set and went up 2-0, finishing the match, 6-4, 6-4.
Johnston and Sarah Woestmann of Kentucky grabbed wins previously on courts three and four, respectively. Johnston faced a tight match, at one time clutching to a 5-4 lead in the first set. She then nailed the next seven games, defeating East Tennessee’s Jamie, 6-4, 6-0. Woestmann took the first set 6-1, but started down 2-1 in the second to the Buccaneers’ Karina Kedzo before winning five of the next six games.
Even with line-up changes Kentucky was equally as successful in the latter half of the day against Eastern Kentucky, sweeping the Colonels. The Cats took wins on all courts during doubles and kept rolling in singles.
Woestmann only relinquished two games against EKU’s Alexandra Sitnikova, 6-2, 6-0. Kentucky freshman Lilley clinched the match for the Blue and White against Nadja Barz on court three. After going down early 2-0, Lilley won six of the next seven games to go up, 6-3. She then alternated games with Barz but ultimately grabbed the win, 6-3.
Other Kentucky wins came on court one by Johnston, 6-3, 6-0, against Eastern’s Svetlana Pimenova, and freshman Jennifer Stone took court four over the Colonels’ Anouk Faure, 6-4, 6-1. Topping the afternoon was Whitney Spencer and newcomer Chane Hines on courts five and six, respectively. Spencer defeated Myriam Mhirit 6-4, 6-2, while Hines allowed only one opponent game for a 6-0, 6-1, victory.
The Wildcats are now an all-time 12-0 and 6-0 against Eastern Kentucky and East Tennessee State, respectively.
Kentucky improves to 18-0 in double-header season openers in Lexington.
The Wildcats continue match play on Sun., Feb. 1 with Winthrop at 10 a.m. ET and Miami University (2-3, 0-0) at 3 p.m. ET. Winthrop will be coming to the Bluegrass after a 6-1 road-win against Davidson. Miami comes to Lexington on a three-match losing streak after starting the season 2-0. The Redhawks last dropped a 5-2 match against Illinois.
To follow the Wildcat women’s tennis team visit, www.ukathletics.com.
#22 Kentucky 6, East Tennessee State 1
Singles
1. Yevgenia Stupak (ETSU) def. #61 Megan Broderick (UK), 6-4, 7-6(7)
2. Caroline Escamilla (UK) def. Tara Byrne (ETSU), 6-4, 6-4
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Paula Jamie (ETSU), 6-4, 6-0
4. Sarah Woestmann (UK) def. Karina Kedzo (ETSU), 6-1, 6-3
5. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Tara Sheets (ETSU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Jennifer Stone (UK) def. Whitney Trotter (ETSU), 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. #42 Escamilla/Johnston (UK) def. Byrne/Kedzo (ETSU), 8-2
2. Jamie/Stupak (ETSU) def. Hines/Spencer (UK), 8-5
3. Broderick/Lilley (UK) def. Moskaliova/Sheets (ETSU), 8-1
Order of finish:
Singles: 4, 3, 2*, 1, 5, 6
Doubles: 3, 1, 2
#22 Kentucky 7, Eastern Kentucky 0
Singles
1. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Svetlana Pimenova (EKU), 7-6(3), 6-0
2. Sarah Woestmann (UK) def. Alexandra Sitnikova (EKU), 6-2, 6-0
3. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Nadja Barz (EKU), 6-3, 6-3
4. Jennifer Stone (UK) def. Anouk Faure (EKU), 6-4, 6-1
5. Whitney Spencer (UK) def. Myriem Mhirit (EKU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Chane Hines (UK) def. Jemma Eures (EKU), 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
4. Escamilla/Lilley (UK) def. Pimenova/Sitnikova, 8-5
5. Hines/Johnston (UK) def. Euers/Faure (EKU), 8-3
6. Stone/Woestmann (UK) def. Barz/Mhirit (EKU), 8-4
Order of finish:
Singles: 2, 4, 3*, 1, 6, 5
Doubles: 3, 2, 1
