LEXINGTON ? The 23rd-ranked Kentucky women?s tennis team had its nine-match win streak snapped by fifth-ranked Georgia with a closer-than-it-looked 6-1 loss on Friday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
The Wildcats had not lost since mid February, beginning Southeastern Conference play 6-0. The loss to the Bulldogs dropped UK to 15-2 on the year and 6-1 in the league. Georgia improved to 14-1 overall and 6-1 in the conference. The two teams are one-game back of Vanderbilt in the SEC Eastern Division standings.
?I am proud of our ladies,? Kentucky head coach Carlos Drada said. ?We played a very intense Georgia team today. We were outscored on the scoreboard, but we gave our best effort. This is the type of match that will help us understand what we need to do to continue to improve and move forward.?
The Bulldogs got on the board first by winning the doubles point. Uncharacteristically, UK fell behind 1-0 with losses at Nos. 1 and 3. The nation?s fifth-ranked duo of Kim Coventry and Joelle Schwenk were knocked off by No. 14 Yvette Hyndman and Darya Ivanov as UGA clinched the point.
On court two, Carolina Escamilla and Sarah Woestmann scored a big win by knocking off the 30th-ranked pair of Monika Dancevic and Kelley Hyndman, 8-6. It was the first ranked win for the pair this season.
Woestmann also scored UK?s only point of the match, dropping No. 58 Yvette Hyndman, 6-4, 7-5, on court three. Escamilla nearly beat the other Hyndman, succumbing 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 on court four.
The win for Woestmann improved her career record to 16-1 as she won her sixth consecutive match. She has lost only five sets all year and each win during her current run has been in straight sets.
At No. 1, senior Joelle Schwenk fought a tough battle against No. 6 Natalie Frazier before falling 6-3, 7-6. It was the first match of the year at No. 1 for Schwenk as she had her personal nine-match win streak snapped.
Georgia got a pair of straight set victories on courts two, five and six en route to the final margin.
The Wildcats continue their two-match road swing on Sunday when they face No. 26 Tennessee at Knoxville, Tenn. The Lady Vols suffered a hard-fought 4-3 loss to the Commodores on Friday.
Match Results #5 Georgia 6, #22 Kentucky 1 Singles competition 1. #6 Natalie Frazier (UGA) def. #122 Joelle Schwenk (UK) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) 2. #36 Monika Dancevic (UGA) def. Kim Coventry (UK) 7-5, 6-1 3. Sarah Woestmann (UK) def. #58 Yvette Hyndman (UGA) 6-4, 7-5 4. Kelley Hyndman (UGA) def. Carolina Escamilla (UK) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 5. #78 Darya Ivanov (UGA) def. Jessica Giuggioli (UK) 6-2, 6-2 6. Naoko Ueshima (UGA) def. Whitney Spencer (UK) 6-2, 6-2 Doubles competition 1. #14 Yvette Hyndman/Darya Ivanov (UGA) def. #5 Kim Coventry/Joelle Schwenk (UK) 8-5 2. Carolina Escamilla/Sarah Woestmann (UK) def. #30 Monika Dancevic/Kelley Hyndman (UGA) 8-6 3. Natalie Frazier/Naoko Ueshima (UGA) def. Christine Johnston/Whitney Spencer (UK) 8-3 Match Notes: Kentucky 15-2 (6-1 SEC); National ranking #23 Georgia 14-1 (6-1 SEC); National ranking #5 Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3,6,1,4)
