Seven true freshmen and one NAIA transfer made successful NCAA post-season debuts Friday, as No. 17 Kentucky, the 15th seed, dealt Boston a 4-0 defeat in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Women?s Tennis Tournament in Cambridge, Mass.
The Cats got things going early with strong doubles play. The 14th-ranked Kentucky tandem of Sarah Foster and Aibika Kalsarieva hung an 8-2 defeat on the Terriers? Lindsay Dynoff and Erin Katims at the first doubles slot. UK?s Joelle Schwenk and Caroline Winebrenner clinched the Wildcat doubles point with an 8-4 victory at the No. 3 position over Boston?s Elena deMendoza and Monica Shepard.
The Cats put away the Terriers behind a solid singles effort. Schwenk made short work of BU?s Katims at No. 3, running away with a 6-1, 6-0 victory. UK?s Lara Maurer followed shortly thereafter with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Boston?s Elisa Glas. Kentucky?s Foster, the SEC Freshman of the Year, capped the Kentucky win with an easy 6-2, 6-2 victory over BU?s deMendoza.
?Our goal today was to advance but also to do some things we needed to be most effective for our next round, as well,? UK Coach Mark Guilbeau said. ?I think our kids did that today. I feel good about their focus on playing one match at a time, but they also have a smart process going ahead of time.?
Kentucky meets Ohio State Saturday with a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 in Athens, Ga., on the line. The Buckeyes turned away Harvard by a 4-2 count in the preceding match. Kentucky and Ohio State met two months ago at UK?s Boone Indoor Tennis Center, where the Cats held on for a 4-3 victory.
?We know Ohio State is a very capable team and can beat us,? Guilbeau said. ?Like our team, they do one of the most basic things: they really give a good effort. Ohio State fights hard. We?re going to do everything we can to win this match and move ahead.?
Saturday?s regional final is set for 2 p.m. at Harvard?s Beren Tennis Center. Live scoring will be available at www.gocrimson.com.
No. 17 Kentucky 4, Boston University 0
Doubles 1. No. 14 Aibika Kalsarieva/Sarah Foster (UK) def. Lindsay Dynoff/Erin Katims (BU) - 8-2 2. Lara Maurer/Kim Coventry (UK) vs Elisa Glas/Laura Ahmes (BU) - 7-4, susp. 3. Joelle Schwenk/Caroline Winebrenner (UK) def. Elena deMendoza/Monica Shepard (BU) - 8-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3
Singles 1. No. 16 Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) leads Lindsay Dynoff (BU) – 6-4, 4-2, susp. 2. No. 48 Sarah Foster (UK) def. Elena deMendoza (BU) – 6-2, 6-2 3. Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Erin Katims (BU) – 6-1, 6-0 4. Lara Maurer (UK) def. Elisa Glas (BU) – 6-2, 6-1 5. Laura Ahmes (BU) vs. Kim Coventry (UK) – 6-5, susp. 6. Christine Simpson (UK) vs. Aimee Charest (BU) – 6-4, 4-2, susp. Order of Finish: 3, 4, 2
