Feb. 24, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The sixth-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team traveled to Birmingham, Ala., this weekend and collected two wins in a doubleheader with Samford University and Jacksonville State, both by a score of 5-1 ,to move to 12-2 on the season.
In the opening match, Kentucky knocked off Samford 5-1 with wins on courts one, two, four, five and six to capure the four-point win in the match. Samford provided tough competition as the Bulldogs had already knocked off Alabama earlier in the season out of the Southeastern Conference.
On court one, senior Anthony Rossi crept closer to his 100th-career win on Sunday as he knocked off Zac Dunkle of Samford on court one 7-6 (6), 7-5 to move to 11-1 on the season in the No. 1 position. The win for Rossi put him with 93 wins in his career, and just seven shy of 100 in his career in the Blue and White.
On court two, freshman Beck Pennington stepped in and took a straight-sets 6-3, 6-3 win over Elliot Barnwell as the Kentucky native upped his 2013 singles record to 3-0 in dual matches. This was the first time in Pennington’s young career that he played in the No. 2 slot.
Charles Minc won yet again on court four for the Wildcats as he overcame a slow start to win 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third and take the sixth win of the sophomore’s career. Minc with the win improved to 6-1 on the year in singles action, and picked up his first-ever win on court four.
Freshman Juan Pablo Murra collected an easy one and one win on court five as he downed Austin Akers of Samford to give Kentucky one of its five points in the match. Murra was 1-1 on court five entering the match, and now sits at 2-1 with Sunday’s win over Akers.
Reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Kevin Lai continued his undefeated season in singles play as the freshman from Taiwan knocked off Garrison Laduca 6-0, 6-1 on court six. With the win, Lai now stands at 3-0 in singles play on the 2013 season.
There were no doubles matches in the contest.
In the second match of the day that pitted Kentucky against Jacksonville State, the Wildcats downed the Gamecocks 5-1 as well, to record their 12th win on the season, and move to 12-2 overall.
Pennington got his first-ever career win on court No. 1 in NCAA dual match play as he knocked off Igor Santos 6-3, 7-5 to up his career record to 4-0 in the dual season. With Pennington getting the win on court one, No. 90 Rossi also capitalized and got a 6-2, 6-0 win on the second court to push his win total to 94 in his career, just six shy of 100.
Alejandro Gomez got back to his usual winning ways on Sunday evening as he cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Nenad Marcec of JSU on court three to pick up his fourth win of the young 2013 season. The win for Gomez was his 50th-career win, as his overall career record now sits at 50-23.
In the four slot, Juan Pablo Murra capped off his stellar day, throwing up a double bagel in a 6-0, 6-0 win as the freshman from Mexico collected his fifth win in singles of the 2013 season.
On court five, Kevin Lai was spectacular again as he moved to 4-0 in singles play, upping his win total with a straight-set 6-2, 6-2 win over Felipe Wenzel of the Gamecocks.
Similar to the morning match, there was not any doubles action in the nightcap.
Kentucky now sits at 12-2 overall on the season, and will now shift its focus to the rigors of SEC play this upcoming weekend. Kentucky welcomes No. 52 Arkansas to the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center on Friday, March 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET before the Wildcats will face off against LSU on Sunday afternoon.
Agate
No. 6 Kentucky 5, Samford 1
Samford Tennis Center – Birmingham, Ala.
February 24, 2013
Doubles: Not Played
Singles:
1- No. 90 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Zac Dunkle (SAM) 7-6 (6), 7-5
2- Beck Pennington (UK) def. Elliot Barnwell (SAM) 6-3, 6-3
3- Fares Kilani (SAM) def. Alejandro Gomez (UK) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
4- Charles Minc (UK) def. Alex Sajonz (SAM) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
5- Juan Pablo Murra (UK) def. Austin Akers (SAM) 6-1, 6-1
6- Kevin Lai (UK) def. Garrison Laduca (SAM) 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 Kentucky 5, Jacksonville State 1
Samford Tennis Center – Birmingham, Ala.
February 24, 2013
Doubles: Not Played
Singles:
1- Beck Pennington (UK) def. Igor Santos (JSU) 6-3, 7-5
2- No. 90 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Axel Sundberg (JSU) 6-2, 6-0
3- Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Nenad Marcec (JSU) 6-2, 6-3
4- Juan Pablo Murra (UK) def. Felipe Diaz (JSU) 6-0, 6-0
5- Kevin Lai (UK) def. Felipe Wenzel (JSU) 6-2, 6-2
6- Felipe Watanabe (JSU) def. Michael Binder (UK) 7-6, 6-2
For continuing coverage of UK men’s tennis, log on to UKathletics.com.
