April 12, 1998

LEXINGTON, Kty. – The 25th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s tennis team fell to South Carolina 5-4 at home in its last regular season match on Sunday. The Wildcats (13-7, 4-7 SEC) dropped four singles matches and were unable to catch up to the Gamecocks. UK’s Kathy Herring and Brooke Skeen won the two singles points for the Cats, playing at No. 3 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Herring defeated Karolina Bulat 7-6, 7-5, and Skeen overcame Amanda Carvalho 6-4, 6-4.

In doubles, UK’s 22nd-ranked team of Massoumeh Emami and Kelly Brown beat the Gamecock duo of Bulat and Tobi Rakic 8-4. UK’s Herring and Caroline Kirk also won, defeating Amanda Carvalho and Valentine Vernaz 9-7. The win improves South Carolina’s record to 10-10, 5-6 in the SEC. Next up for the Wildcats is the SEC Tournament, which runs April 16-19. UK will play host to the tournament at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.

Singles:No. 1   Celine Regnier (USC) def. Massoumeh Emami (UK) 6-3, 6-3No. 2   Karolina Bulat (USC) def. Kelly Brown (UK) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4No. 3   Kathy Herring (UK) def. Leigh Eichelberger (USC) 7-6, 7-5No. 4   Valentine Vernaz (USC) def. Christy Sigurski (UK) 6-3, 6-4No. 5   Tobi Rakic (USC) def. Caroline Kirk (UK) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3No. 6   Brooke Skeen (UK) def. Amanda Carvalho (USC) 6-4, 6-4 

Doubles:No. 1 Emami/Brown (UK) def. Carvalho/Rakic (USC) 8-4No. 2 Regnier/Eichelberger (USC) def. Sigurski/Skeen (UK) 8-3No. 3 Herring/Kirk (UK) def. Bulat/Vernaz (USC) 9-7