Feb. 1, 2003
Murfreesboro, Tenn. – The 23rd-ranked University of Kentucky women’s tennis team won two matches at the Racquet Club of Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Saturday, Feb. 1. UK (3-2) defeated host Middle Tennessee (2-4) by a count of 5-2 and blanked Murray State (0-1), 7-0, later in the afternoon.
In the match with 63rd-ranked Middle Tennessee, the Cats got off to a good start when they won each of their doubles matches by a score of 8-4 to take an early 1-0 lead. Seniors Sarah Witten and Amy Trefethen, partnering up for the first time this season, each fought through a bought of food poisoning as they handled the Blue Raiders’ 29th-ranked duo of Manon Kruse and Stacy Varnell. At No. 2 doubles, senior Jill Buckley partnered with freshman Nathalie Roels to defeat Jennifer Klaschka and Carien Venter. At the No. 3 spot, seniors Leigh Bradwell and Shannon Stafford downed Emily Vest and Laura McNamara.
In singles, 37th-ranked Witten held on as long as she could after her bought with food poisoning and forced 56th-ranked Kruse to a first-set tie-break. Witten would win the first set, but with her diminished physical condition, she was unable to hold of Kruse and lost the final two sets, 6-1, 6-2. With the score knotted at 1-1, Roels, ranked 48th in the nation, defeated Klaschka in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 2 singles to regain the lead for UK. In No. 3 singles, Venter took an early one-set-to-none lead before Stafford roared back to take the second set, 6-3. Venter would prevail, however, winning the deciding set by a talley of 6-4, to knot the score at 2-2. That would be the last point the Lady Raiders would score as Buckley, Stough and Petrisko each won their respective matches in straight-sets to secure the victory for UK.
When the Cats prepared to play Murray State later in the evening they were down two players as Witten and Trefethen sat out for the finale. Still, with two of its big-hitters sidelined, UK was able to over power the Racers and cruise to a shutout victory.
In doubles, Buckley and Roels dominated the top spot handing Melissa Spencer and Jaclyn Leeper an 8-4 defeat. Stafford and Bradwell were equally dominant at No. 2 doubles as they rolled over Cheryl Graham and Annette Steen by a score of 8-2. At the No. 3 spot, Jamie Lee and Tami McQueen were no match for Petrisko and Stough as the UK duo handled the Racers, 8-1Roels was able to prove her worth to the Wildcats as she dominated the top-singles spot, handing Melissa Spencer a straight-sets defeat, 6-3, 6-2. Stafford continued UK’s stellar play, defeating Jaclyn Leeper, 6-2, 6-1, in No. 2 singles. Buckley, Bradwell, Petrisko and Stough also dominated their respective singles matches, dropping a combined four games in eight sets.
Saturday’s two wins get the Cats back to their winning ways as they prepare to head to Madison, Wis., for the National Team Indoors Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Agate:
No. 23 UK 5, No. 63 Middle Tennessee 2
Singles
1. #56 Manon Kruse (MT) def. #37 Sarah Witten (UK) 6-7(1); 6-1; 6-2
2. #48 Nathalie Roels (UK) def. Jennifer Klaschka (MT) 6-4; 6-2
3. Carien Venter (MT) def. Shannon Stafford (UK) 6-2; 3-6; 6-4
4. Jill Buckley (UK) def. Stacy Varnell (MT) 6-2; 6-4
5. Shannon Stough (UK) def. Laura McNamara (MT) 6-2; 6-2
6. Danielle Petrisko (UK) def. Emily Vest (MT) 6-1; 6-1
Doubles
1. Witten/ Trefethen (UK) def. #29 Kruse/Varnell (MT) 8-4
2. Buckley/Roels (UK) def. Venter/Klaschka (MT) 8-4
3. Stafford/Bradwell (UK) def. Vest/McNamara 8-4
No. 23 UK 7, Murray State 0
Singles
1. #48 Nathalie Roels (UK) def. Melissa Spencer (MS) 6-3; 6-2
2. Shannon Stafford (UK) def. Jaclyn Leeper (MS) 6-2; 6-1
3. Jill Buckley (UK) def. Cheryl Graham (MS) 6-1; 6-2
4. Leigh Bradwell (UK) def. Annette Steen (MS) 6-1; 6-0
5. Danielle Petrisko (UK) def. Tami McQueen (MS) 6-0; 6-0
6. Shannon Stough (UK) def. Jamie Lee (MS) 8-0
Doubles
1. Buckley/Roels (UK) def. Spencer/Leeper (MS) 8-4
2. Stafford/Bradwell (UK) def. Graham/Steen (MS) 8-2
3. Petrisko/Stough (UK) def. Lee/McQueen (MS) 8-1
