The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team was defeated by Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State on Monday, Feb.26, by the narrowest of margins, 4-3. The Wildcats (5-4, 1-4 SEC) were downed by the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-2 SEC) in a gruelingmatch lasting nearly five hours.

UK raced out of the gate to claim the opening point by winning two of three doubles matches over the Bulldogs. Doubles squads ofjunior Carolina Mayorga and sophomore Sarah Witten, the nation’s 21st-ranked pair, and senior Brooke Skeen and juniorLauren Rookledge, ranked 23rd in the country, both notched wins for the Cats.

In singles action, Rookledge, along with sophomore Leigh Bradwell, grabbed easy straight-set victories.Rookledge rolled Linda Mattsson 6-0, 6-3, while Bradwell defeated Camila Sagae 6-4, 6-3. However, the nextfour matches would belong to Mississippi State, as they triumphed in four hard-fought three-set matches totake the lead and the win at 4-3.

The Cats will be back in action on Saturday, March 3, when they return home to take on the AlabamaCrimson Tide at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. UK will look to keep its unblemished home recordintact when action begins at 1:00 p.m.

MSU 4, UK 3
Singles1.      Carole Soubis, MSU def. Carolina Mayorga, UK                 6-4, 5-7, 7-52.      Amelie Detriviere, MSU def. Brooke Skeen, (#49) UK         6-4, 4-6, 6-23.      Claudia Oliveira, MSU def. Sarah Witten, UK                   7-6, 2-6, 7-54.      Leigh Bradwell, UK def. Camila Sagae, MSU                  6-4, 6-35.      Anca Vasiloaica, MSU def. Amy Trefethen, UK                 5-7, 6-3, 7-66.      Lauren Rookledge, UK def. Linda Mattsson, MSU         6-0, 6-3        Doubles (one point for best two out of three)1.    Mayorga/Witten, (#21), UK def. Detriviere/Oliveira, MSU    8-62.    Skeen/Rookledge, (#23) UK def. Sagae/Soubis, MSU       8-13.    Mattsson/Ueda, MSU def. Stafford/Bradwell, UK           8-4