LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The 16th-ranked Kentucky men?s tennis team relinquished nothing in a pair of Wednesday matches at UK?s Boone Tennis Center, scoring a 7-0 victory over No. 62 Indiana in the afternoon and a 6-0 win over Murray State in the nightcap.
The Cats dispatched the Hoosiers in under three hours. Kentucky claimed wins at the one and three doubles positions to earn the doubles point. UK?s Jesse Witten fell behind a set at the No. 1 singles position against Jakub Praibis but surrendered only two games the rest of the way to score a three-set victory. Freshman Jason Mallaiah earned his first start as a Wildcat and took advantage of the opportunity, defeating Indiana?s Tom Bagnato in three sets at the No. 4 position. Seniors Evan Austin and Rahim Esmail, junior Tigran Martirosyan and sophomore Nate Emge tallied straight-set wins to complete the shutout.
The Cats? move to UK?s indoor tennis facility for the nightcap produced similar results against Murray State. Each of Kentucky?s six singles starters recorded straight-set victories, including freshman Matt Allinder, who set down Murray State?s Chris Morgan by a 6-1, 6-1 count. Sophomore Alex Hume returned to the Kentucky rotation for the evening match and blanked Murray?s Clayton Clark at the No. 5 position.
The Cats return to action next Friday, Mar. 19 when they play host to LSU.
No. 16 Kentucky 7, No. 62 Indiana 0 Doubles
1. Esmail/Witten (UK) def. Recht/Stone (IU) ? 8-1 2. Ishtuganov/Praibis (IU) def. Austin/Mallaiah (UK) ? 8-5 3. Emge/Martirosyan (UK) def. Kenner/McCarthy (IU) ? 8-2
Singles 1. Jesse Witten (UK) def. Jakub Praibis (IU) ? 0-6, 6-0, 6-2 2. Tigran Martirosyan (UK) def. Ryan Recht (IU) ? 6-3, 6-2 3. Evan Austin (UK) def. Neil Kenner (IU) ? 6-1, 6-4 4. Jason Mallaiah (UK) def. Tom Bagnato (IU) ? 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) 5. Nate Emge (UK) def. John Stone (IU) ? 6-2, 6-2 6. Rahim Esmail (UK) def. Dmytro Ishtuganov (IU) ? 6-4, 7-6 (4) Kentucky 6, Murray State 0 Singles 1. Jesse Witten (UK) def. Zak Bahri (MSU) ? 6-0, 6-1 2. Jason Mallaiah (UK) def. Adam Maskill (MSU) ? 6-3, 6-4 3. Evan Austin (UK) def. Masimba Muskwe (MSU) ? 7-5, 6-2 4. Tigran Martirosyan (UK) def. Jeff Lester (MSU) ? 6-0, 6-0 5. Alex Hume (UK) def. Clayton Clark (MSU) ? 6-0, 6-0 6. Matt Allinder (UK) def. Chris Morgan (MSU) ? 6-1, 6-1
