The 25th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s tennis team advanced in theSoutheastern Conference Tournament after scoring an impressive 4-1 winover Arkansas in the opening round on Thursday, April 19.

The Wildcats (13-9, 6-6 SEC) claimed the opening point of the contest bywinning two out of three doubles matches and cruised to three quicksingles wins clinching the victory over the 37th-ranked Razorbacks.

In doubles competition, the Wildcats rolled to two quick wins. Thenation’s 29th-ranked doubles team of Carolina Mayorga and Sarah Wittendefeated Arkansas’ Tara Reid and Megan Ferreria 8-2, while Amy Trefethenand Jill Buckley had little problem besting Julie Boyadjieva and AdrianaLopez 8-0.

Singles action was much of the same as the Cats got victories from BrookeSkeen, Lauren Rookledge and Shannon Stafford to be the first team toadvance in the 2001 SEC Tournament. Rookledge and Stafford rolled tostraight set wins in the match. Stafford downed Ferreria 6-4, 6-3, whileRookledge refused to surrender a game in her 6-0, 6-0 defeat of Reid.Skeen clinched the match for UK with her three set win over Boyadjieva,2-6, 6-1, 6-3.

With the win, the Cats move on to battle 3rd-seeded Vanderbilt on Fridayat 8 a.m. The Cats will look to avenge its early-season loss to the Commodores.

UK 4, UA 1Singles1. Carolina Mayorga, (#45) UK vs. Chin Bee Khoo, (#14), UADNF2.      Sarah Witten, UK vs. Brenda Vlasak, UADNF3.      Brooke Skeen, (#91) UK vs. Julie Boyadjieva, UA        2-6, 6-1, 6-34.      Adriana Lopez, UA def. Leigh Bradwell, UK 6-4, 6-35.      Lauren Rookledge, UK def. Tara Reid, UA                6-0, 6-06.      Shannon Stafford, UK def. Megan Ferreira, UA         6-4, 6-3Doubles (one point for best two out of three)1.    Skeen/Rookledge, (#19) UK vs. Khoo/ Vlasak (#46), UADNF2.    Mayorga/Witten, (#29) UK def. Ferreira/ Reid, UA        8-23.    Trefethen/Buckley, UK def. Boyadjieva/ Lopez, UA      8-0