No. 21 Kentucky Squares Off at No. 15 Florida, South Carolina
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team has climbed higher in the national rankings with each passing week, as the No. 21 Cats prepare to meet No. 15 Florida in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, April 1 at 5 p.m. ET and South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday, April 3 at 1 p.m. ET. It marks the start of a four-game road stretch that will conclude UK’s regular season.
The Wildcats boast a 13-4 record this season, including a 5-4 mark in the Southeastern Conference and a 2-1 mark on the road. The squad is coming off an upset to No. 19 Tennessee at home last Sunday, defeating the Lady Volunteers in a 4-2 decision. UK has relied on the doubles point all season, earning the first point in 15 of 17 dual matches this spring.
Leading that effort is the No. 8-ranked doubles team in the nation in Akvile Paražinskaite and Fiona Aresse. The dominant duo is 16-1 through fall and spring action, boasting an 8-1 record in the conference and a 4-1 record against ranked tandems. Meanwhile, all of their matches happened on court one.
Lesedi Jacobs is on a hot streak in the singles competition, after upsetting the No. 46-ranked singles player in the nation in Carly Briggs of UT. The senior helped Kentucky to its 15th doubles point of the season, before taking down Briggs in a three-set battle on court three, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, for her first ranked triumph this season.
No. 15-ranked Florida is 9-6 this season, including 7-3 in the league and 5-1 at home. The Gators have four top-25 wins– No. 19 LSU, No. 22 Texas A&M, No. 20 Arkansas and No. 21 Ole Miss. The group also boasts the second-ranked doubles team in the nation in Marlee Zein and McCartney Kessler (14-2). Meanwhile, Kessler is touted as the seventh-ranked singles player in the nation (13-2). Florida has dominated the all-time series, 41-3, although Kentucky defeated the Blue and Orange at home last season for the first time in more than a decade, 4-3.
South Carolina is 8-9 this season, including 5-5 in the league and 4-4 at home. The Gamecocks have two ranked triumphs under their belt, including No. 20 Arkansas and No. 21 Ole Miss. No. 39 Mia Horvit leads the team with a 10-7 singles record, while No. 16 Horvit and Megan Davies own a 9-9 doubles record. The Gamecocks also lead the all-time series, 24-17, and have won 14 of the last 15 meetings.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
