Kentucky Drops Home Match Against Vanderbilt
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 62 Kentucky women’s tennis team could not overcome No. 47 Vanderbilt, dropping a 6-1 decision Friday afternoon at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The Wildcats now sit at 12-8 on the year and 0-7 in Southeastern Conference action.
Vanderbilt claimed the doubles point to open the match, with the duo of Yufei Long and Amy Stevens first taking down Carlota Molina and Florencia Urrutia, 6-2, on the third court. It was back-and-forth on court one between Anna Ross and Anessa Lee and Fiona Arrese and Lidia Gonzalez, but the 76th-ranked doubles pair held on for a 6-4 win to clinch the opening point.
The Commodores then extended their lead by three after earning wins on courts four and one, respectively. Marcella Cruz knocked off Gonzalez in back-to-back 6-2 sets before Anna Ross, the 57th-ranked singles player in the country, defeated Molina in a 6-3, 6-2 outcome.
After trailing in the first, Carla Girbau forced a third set before Holly Staff gave the visiting team the clinching point following her 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win in the third position. Following its win, Vanderbilt improves to 10-6 on the season with a 2-5 mark in conference play.
Deciding to play out the contest, Arrese picked up the sole point for the Wildcats in the fifth spot after besting Amy Stevens, 7-6(11-9), 6-4.
The Wildcats return to the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center next weekend for a pair of home matches, first playing Florida on Friday, April 1 before taking on South Carolina on Sunday, April 3. Both matches are slated to begin at 12 p.m. ET.
No. 47 Vanderbilt 6, No. 62 Kentucky 1
Singles
1. No. 57 Anna Ross (VU) def. Carlota Molina (UK) 6-3, 6-2
2. No. 72 Anessa Lee (VU) def. Florencia Urrutia (UK) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
3. Holly Staff (VU) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
4. Marcella Cruz (VU) def. Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-2, 6-2
5. Fiona Arrese (UK) def. Amy Stevens (VU) 7-6(11-9), 6-4
6. Dasha Kourkina (VU) def. Ellie Eades (UK) 6-4, 7-5
Order of finish: 4, 1, 3*, 2, 6, 5
Doubles
1. No. 76 Anna Ross/Anessa Lee (VU) def. Fiona Arrese/Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-4
2. Ellie Eades/Carla Girbau (UK) vs. Marcella Cruz/Holly Staff (VU) Unfinished
3. Yufei Long/Amy Stevens (VU) def. Carlota Molina/Florencia Urrutia (UK) 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1*
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.
