May 24, 2002

Palo Alto, Calif. – In the blistering sun of Palo Alto, Calif., the University of Kentucky’s most prolific women’s doubles team ended its career with a tough 7-6, 6-2 loss in the 2002 NCAA Doubles Championships. Senior Carolina Mayorga and junior Sarah Witten fell to fifth-ranked Megan Bradley and Lauren Fisher of UCLA in the semifinals of the Championships. Mayorga, a native of Bogot?, Colombia, and Witten, a Naples, Fla., native, were the first doubles team in the 28-year history of UK women’s tennis to advance to the NCAA semifinals.

The Wildcat duo came out of the gates scorching as they took an early 4-2 lead in the match’s opening set. The Bruins quickly retaliated by breaking a Wildcat serve to get back in the contest. The final games of the first set went back and fourth relentlessly until a tiebreaker was forced. Bradley and Fisher took the set and the momentum with a 7-3 victory in the tiebreaker.

The Wildcats had trouble recovering from the first-set loss and went down 3-0 to begin the second set. Down the stretch, Bradley and Fisher’s confident play proved too much for Mayorga and Witten to overcome as the Cats fell 7-6, 6-2.

“I have nothing but great things to say about Carolina and Sarah,” Coach Mark Guilbeau said. “I am especially proud of the way that they have battled back here at the tournament and throughout their career. I give Bradley and Fisher a lot of credit, but Carolina and Sarah put themselves in a position to win today and came up a little unlucky. UK women’s tennis has had a great season and I am appreciative to all of the players on this squad who give relentless support toward making it happen.”

Mayorga and Witten close out their career as a tandem having earned All-America honors two consecutive years. Witten, a junior, will return in 2003 to undoubtedly lead the Cats in both singles and doubles play.