Kentucky freshman Christine Simpson?s straight-set victory at No. 6 singles was the difference in the 13th-ranked Cats? 4-3 victory Sunday evening over No. 75 Maryland at UK?s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. Kentucky ran off a 2-1 record on the weekend and improves to 6-1.

The Cats failed to win the doubles point for the third time in as many days. UK freshmen Lara Maurer and Joelle Schwenk claimed an easy 8-2 victory at No. 2, but that proved to be all the Cats would muster.

Maurer evened the score with an impressive 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 4 singles. The Bay Village, Ohio native surrendered only 11 games in three weekend matches, and was the only Wildcat to win each match this weekend. UK junior Aibika Kalsarieva finished off 44th-ranked Emily Marker in straight sets to give the Cats a 2-1 lead. Schwenk defeated Marianne Baker in three sets for a 3-1 Kentucky lead. Maryland earned victories at the two and six singles positions to even the score at three.

At the pivotal No. 5 slot, Simpson, after trailing 5-4, rebounded with three-consecutive games to take the first set, 7-5. In the second set, the Raleigh, N.C., native found herself down, 4-3. However, as in the first set, Simpson responded valiantly, taking the next three games to ensure the Kentucky victory.

?I?m really happy for our kids tonight,? UK Coach Mark Guilbeau said. ?They continue to make a statement about working hard and never sacrificing their desire and spirit. Their mindset was to get things done tonight, and they did just that.?

The Cats will make preparations for the ITA National Team Indoors being held this Thursday, Feb. 5 through Sunday, Feb. 8 at the University of Wisconsin. The ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) will release the tournament draw Monday morning.

Kentucky 4, Maryland 3

Doubles 1. Baker/Marker (UM) def. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) ? 8-5 2. Maurer/Schwenk (UK) def. Chavardes/Rogers (UM) ? 8-2 3. But/Mihneva (UM) def. Coventry/Simpson (UK) ? 8-3 Singles 1. No. 23 Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. No. 44 Emily Marker (UM) ? 6-2, 6-1 2. Ramona But (UM) def. Sarah Foster (UK) - 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 3. Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Marianne Baker (UM) ? 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 4. Lara Maurer (UK) def. Andreea Fusea (UM) ? 6-1, 6-0 5. Christine Simpson (UK) def. Jennifer Dent (UM) ? 7-5, 6-4 6. Masha Senic (UM) def. Caroline Winebrenner (UK) ? 6-2, 6-1