A stretch of four-consecutive singles victories was enough to push No. 13 Kentucky past No. 25 Texas A&M Friday evening at UK?s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. The Cats claimed a 4-3 victory over the Aggies (0-1) to push their season record to 5-0.
Texas A&M became the first opponent to capture the doubles point against Kentucky this season. The Cats surrendered matches at the two and three positions before UK?s Sarah Foster and Aibika Kalsarieva defeated the 22nd-ranked tandem of Jessica Roland and Helga Vieira in a tiebreaker at number one for the lone Kentucky doubles victory.
Kentucky took control in singles play with three straight-set victories in a 20-minute span. Lara Maurer made short work of Lauren Walker, winning by a 6-1, 6-2 count. Joelle Schwenk followed suit at No. 3 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over A&M?s Roberta Spencer. Kalsarieva recovered from a 5-4 second-set deficit by taking the final three games, winning 6-2, 7-5. After winning the first set and dropping the second at No. 2, Foster clinched the match with a dominant third, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. A&M claimed wins at numbers five and six via 10-point third-set tiebreakers for the final margin.
UK Coach Mark Guilbeau was encouraged by the resilience of his young Wildcats.
?This was an incredibly meaningful win for this young team. To lose the doubles point but then show the ability to keep their composure throughout singles play was very rewarding to see. They knew Texas A&M outplayed them in doubles, but they knew it didn?t mean they had to be outplayed in singles. Their maturity is well beyond their years,? Guilbeau said.
A closer look at the results reflects just what Guilbeau was talking about. Each of Kentucky?s singles wins were recorded by a Wildcat playing her first year of NCAA tennis. Three of those victories came against opponents with at least one more year of NCAA experience.
The Cats won?t waste any time returning to the hard courts, as Kentucky meets ninth-ranked Duke Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at the Boone Tennis Complex. The start time may be pushed back due to a preceding match between the 25th-ranked Aggies and No. 75 Maryland, which has been slated for an 11 a.m. ET start.
No. 13 Kentucky 4, No. 25 Texas A&M 3 Doubles 1. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) def. No. 22 Roland/Vieira (A&M) ? 9-8 (4) 2. Spencer/Walker (A&M) def. Maurer/Schwenk (UK) ? 8-6 3. Mechem/Lubinsky (A&M) def. Coventry/Simpson (UK) ? 8-5
Singles 1. No. 23 Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. No. 26 Jessica Roland (A&M) ? 6-2, 7-5 2. Sarah Foster (UK) def. Helga Vieira (A&M) ? 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 3. Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Roberta Spencer (A&M) ? 6-2, 6-4 4. Lara Maurer (UK) def. Lauren Walker (A&M) ? 6-1, 6-2 5. Nicki Mechem (A&M) def. Christine Simpson (UK) ? 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (7) 6. Anna Lubinsky (A&M) def. Kim Coventry (UK) ? 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (5)
