Oct. 19, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kentucky freshman Caroline Lilley continued her domination of the courts as she captured the championship match at the June Stewart Invite. The Wildcat women’s tennis team sent six singles and three doubles pairs to the Vanderbilt fall tournament.
Lilley began tournament action against Western Michigan’s Jenny Nalepa in the first round of play on Friday. The Wildcat played a clean first set winning 6-1, and secured a trip to the semifinals with a 6-4, second set. Lilley then faced the Hoosier’s Maria Guerreiro and triumphed again after a 6-3, 6-2, match. In the championship match Lilley served opposite Carmen Pop of William and Mary. The Tribe fell to the Blue and White, 6-3, 6-4.
The June Stewart title is the second fall tournament championship Lilley has acquired. Previously, Lilley traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the 22nd Annual Roberta Alison Classic where she defeated Caroline Gerber of Tulane, 6-0, 6-4, for the tournament title.
Joining Lilley in championship match play in Nashville was sophomore Megan Broderick and junior Christine Johnston. Broderick, ranked No. 55, faced Vanderbilt’s own Chelsea Preeg in the finals. The Commodore outlasted the Wildcat in a three set duel, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Kentucky’s No. 118 Johnston also faced a member of the Vandy squad in the final days’ matches. The Columbus, Ohio, native held close to the Commodores’ Courtney Ulery in the first set but fell, 7-5. Ulery topped the Wildcat in the second set, 6-1, for a Vanderbilt win.
Closing out the weekend in doubles, two Kentucky pairs came out on top with 4-0 records. The country’s No. 16 duo of Carolina Escamilla and Johnston secured their fourth tournament win against William and Mary’s Ragini Acharya and Katie Kargl, 8-5. The Cats’ freshman tandem of Jennifer Stone and Lilley also went 4-0 after topping the Broncos’ Emily Dudzik and Rachel Denny, 8-6.
The Wildcat sophomore duo of Broderick and Lauren Meier went 2-2 on the weekend. Broderick and Meier suffered defeat from the Tribe’s Pop and Katarina Zoricic, 8-4.
UK’s Meier fell to William and Mary’s Zoricic in the singles consolation round, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, after advancing to the semifinals the previous day. Meier had fallen to the Dores’ Catherine Newman, 6-2, 6-1, Saturday afternoon. Kentucky senior Escamilla won her final back draw round against the Tribe’s Acharya, 6-1, 6-1. Wildcat rookie Stone also captured the back draw title in her respective flight. Stone defeated Western Michigan’s Ashley Moccia, 6-1, 7-5.
Kentucky returns to action Wednesday, Oct. 22, for the ITA Southeast Regional hosted by Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. Follow the Wildcat women’s tennis team at www.ukathletics.com.
