Wildcats Return Home For Three Matches This Weekend
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Playing at home for the first time in nearly three weeks, the No. 43 Kentucky women’s tennis team returns to Lexington this weekend to host three matches inside the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The Wildcats have a doubleheader with Missouri and Bellarmine on Friday, March 11 before playing No. 65 Arkansas on Sunday, March 13.
First serve against both the Tigers and Razorbacks is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET as UK continues Southeastern Conference action. The match with the Knights, previously rescheduled from Feb. 15, will begin at 4 p.m. to round out the nonconference slate.
The Wildcats enter the weekend with an 11-3 record on the season. In its most recent outing, the team dropped back-to-back decisions on the road at No. 41 Alabama and No. 11 Auburn to begin SEC play. Kentucky owns a 10-1 mark at home and has not dropped a match against unranked competitors.
In total, UK has won 10 out of the 13 opening points for a 22-11 ledger in doubles, also sporting a 40-28 singles record. Florencia Urrutia paces the team with an 11-1 mark in singles action while Carlota Molina is currently the 108th-ranked singles player. Additionally, the tandems of Urrutia and Fiona Arrese as well as Ellie Eades and Carla Girbau both have 7-3 records in doubles.
Missouri will arrive in Lexington with a 5-9 record on the year, most recently dropping a 5-2 decision to Arkansas on March 5. Last year, the Wildcats bested the Tigers, 4-1, in Columbia as they look to extend their perfect 8-0 streak against their SEC rival.
The match with Bellarmine will mark the first time in program history the two in-state foes have faced one another. The Knights, who have a 1-11 record so far this season, won their last contest against Southern Indiana in a 6-1 outcome.
Arkansas landed at No. 65 in the most recent ITA poll and last topped Missouri to improve to 8-3 overall in the 2021-22 campaign. Morgan Cross and Tatum Rice are the 28th-ranked doubles pair in the nation. Kentucky, who leads the series 23-9, will aim to get another win over the Razorbacks after besting them, 4-1, a season ago.
Admission to all home tennis matches will be free for the 2022 season. Capacity at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center is limited and will be based on a first come, first serve basis.
Regardless of an individual’s vaccination status, all fans, guests, and staff are required to wear a mask as they enter, exit, and move around the building. If spectators are unable to wear masks, they are encouraged to not attend matches in person for the sake of their health and the health of others.
Free parking options include the three small E-lots adjacent to the facility 90 minutes prior to the first match. Spectators may also pay to park in the Sports Center Garage (PS No. 7) on the corner of Complex Drive and Sports Center Drive. The cost of parking is $2 per hour with a $16 maximum.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
