Feb. 28, 2003
Knoxville, Tenn. – The 18th-ranked University of Kentucky women’s tennis team opened Southeastern Conference play with a 4-3 upset victory of No. 10 Tennessee at the Goodfriend Tennis Center in Knoxville, on Friday, Feb. 28.
UT (8-2, 0-1 SEC) looked to be on auto-pilot from the start of the match when they swept through the doubles bracket to take a 1-0 lead. Singles play began in the same fashion when UK’s Shannon Stafford fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to 99th-ranked Crystal Cleveland at No. 3 singles. Then in top singles, the Cats’ Sarah Witten, No. 76, fell to third-ranked Vilmarie Castellvi, 7-5, 6-2, giving the Vols a 3-0 team lead for the match.
Not to be outdone, Kentucky’s second, fourth, fifth and sixth players pulled off one of the most stunning comebacks in Kentucky women’s tennis history.
Facing UT’s Tammy Encina, UK’s 83rd-ranked Nathalie Roels battled to 7-6 first-set victory and then went on to take the second set, 6-4, to win the No. 2 singles match. On court No. 4, Jill Buckley faced a similar battle with the Vols’ Melissa Schaub. Buckley held on to win the match in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4.
With the Cats (11-4, 1-0 SEC) trailing 3-2, No. 5 singles saw Amy Trefethen play a match many UK tennis fans are accustomed to see her win. Trefethen was able to grind out a 7-5, 6-3 victory to knot the score at three apiece. Then with the weight of the UK family resting directly on her shoulders, freshman Shannon Stough took UT’s Ashley Robards to the brink of exhaustion and pulled of spectacular 7-5, 7-6 straight sets victory to complete the comeback and give Kentucky its biggest SEC opening win in school history, UK’s seventh-straight victory in February.
“This couldn’t have been any more exhilarating,” Coach Mark Guilbeau. “This team is so happy and proud at this very moment. We could not be any happier than where we are right now. This team is playing with a passion and a confidence that any great team in collegiate tennis should have.”
Kentucky will enjoy this victory for one day. They travel to Athens to take on the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The match is scheduled to begin a Noon ET.
Agate:
Singles:
1. #3 Vilmarie Castelvi (UT) def. #76 Sarah Witten (UK) 7-5; 6-2
2. #83 Nathalie Roels (UK) def. Tammy Encina (UT) 7-6; 6-4
3. #99 Crystal Cleveland (UT) def. Shannon Stafford (UK) 6-3; 6-2
4. Jill Buckley (UK) def. Melissa Schaub (UT) 7-6; 6-4
5. Amy Trefethen (UK) def. Sabita Maharaj (UT) 7-5; 6-3
6. Shannon Stough (UK) def. Ashley Robards (UT) 7-5; 7-6
Doubles
1. Schaub/Castelvi (UT) def. No. 23 Witten/Trefethen (UK) 8-4
2. Encina/Immink (UT) def. Buckley/Bradwell (UK) 8-4
3. Robards/Cleveland (UT) def. Stafford/Roels (UK) 8-6
