UK junior Jesse Witten scored a huge victory at No. 1 singles, but No. 5 Baylor relinquished little else, handing No. 18 Kentucky a 5-1 loss Sunday at the Baylor Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. The Cats fall to 5-3 in dual-match play.

The Bears jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with singles victories at numbers six, five and three before the 16th-ranked Witten put the Cats on the board. The Naples, Fla., native tallied one of his biggest victories as a collegiate, turning away third-ranked Benedikt Dorsch by a 6-4, 6-4 count. Dorsch, who entered 2003 fall tournament play as the ITA?s top-ranked player, suffered only his second loss in the 2003-04 season and first loss in 2004 dual-match play.

Kentucky?s Tigran Martirosyan made a valiant effort to keep the Cats in the match at No. 2 singles, but Matias Marin claimed a tough three-setter to clinch the match for the Bears. UK sophomore Nate Emge nearly scored a defeat of the ITA?s fifth-ranked player, Benjamin Becker, before succumbing in three grueling sets.

The potential of inclement weather conditions in the Waco area prevented the two teams from playing doubles matches.

The Cats will take some time off before opening conference play on Friday, Mar. 5 at South Carolina.

No. 5 Baylor 5, No. 18 Kentucky 1

 Singles 1 No. 16 Jesse Witten (UK) def. No. 3 Benedikt Dorsch (BU) ? 6-4, 6-4 2 Matias Marin (BU) def. No. 58 Tigran Martirosyan (UK) ? 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-2 3 No. 95 Matija Zgaga (BU) def. No. 81 Evan Austin (UK) ? 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 4 No. 5 Benjamin Becker (BU) def. Nate Emge (UK) ? 6-7 (8), 6-3, 7-5 5 Reiner Neurohr (BU) def. Alex Hume (UK) ? 7-5, 6-1 6 No. 79 Ivor Lovrak (BU) def. Rahim Esmail (UK) ? 6-1, 6-3