LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 15 Kentucky engaged a late rally in its match Sunday against No. 3 Florida, but the Cats fell shy in their upset bid, falling to the Gators by a 5-2 count at UK?s Boone Tennis Complex. Kentucky drops to 6-4 and 1-1 in conference play, while Florida moves to 7-3 and 1-1 in the SEC.

UK?s Rahim Esmail and Jesse Witten turned in a strong doubles showing at No. 1, defeating Trey Johnson and Vlad Obradovic by an 8-2 count. However, after a loss at No. 3 doubles, the Cats relinquished the doubles point when Florida?s Chris Brandi and Stefan Tell outlasted Kentucky?s Nate Emge and Tigran Martirosyan in a tiebreaker at the No. 2 slot.

Witten, a Naples, Fla., native, tied the tally at one with an easy 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Janne Holmia at No. 1 singles. Florida?s Martin Stiegwardt put the Gators back on top with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4 over Alex Hume, giving UF a 2-1 lead. Brandi added to the Florida cushion with a straight-set win at No. 4 over Esmail for a 3-1 Gator lead.

Kentucky?s Martirosyan rebounded from a 5-2 first-set deficit at No. 3 to force a tiebreaker, ultimately taking the set. The junior from Yereven, Armenia claimed the match with a 6-1 second-set showing to defeat Stefan Tell, cutting the Florida lead to 3-2.

After dropping their first sets, Kentucky?s Austin and Emge forced third sets at the two and five singles positions. Emge would get to within 4-3 before Florida?s Ryan Sherry clinched the match by taking the final two games. Austin held a 4-3 third-set lead before surrendering the last three games to Obradovic for the final 5-2 margin.

The Cats return to the courts this Wednesday, Mar. 10 when Kentucky plays host to a day-night doubleheader. UK welcomes Indiana at 2 p.m. EST and Murray State at 7 p.m. EST. Each match will be held at the Boone Tennis Complex.

AGATE:

 Doubles 1. Esmail/Witten (UK) def. Johnson/Obradovic (UF) ? 8-2 2. Brandi/Tell (UF) def. Emge/Martirosyan (UK) ? 9-8 (4) 3. Holmia/Stiegwardt (UF) def. Austin/Hume (UK) ? 8-4 

Singles 1. Jesse Witten (UK) def. Janne Holmia (UF) ? 6-0, 6-2 2. Vlad Obradovic (UF) def. Evan Austin (UK) ? 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-4 3. Tigran Martirosyan (UK) def. Stefan Tell (UF) ? 7-6(6), 6-1 4. Chris Brandi (UF) def. Rahim Esmail (UK) ? 6-3, 6-2 5. Ryan Sherry (UF) def. Nate Emge (UK) ? 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 6. Martin Stiegwardt (UF) def. Alex Hume (UK) ? 6-2, 6-2