ATHENS, Ga. ? Kentucky sophomore Sarah Foster earned her first career victory in NCAA-singles competition, and senior Aibika Kalsarieva joined her teammate in the round of 32 after day one of the NCAA Singles Championships at Georgia?s Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Taking on Oregon?s 51st-ranked Daria Panova, a former ITA top-10 player, the 64th-ranked Foster seized immediate control of the match. Foster held serve to open the match and broke Panova?s serve for a 2-0 lead. Foster held and broke once more to take a 4-0 lead before Panova responded with a service break to trim the lead to 4-1. Foster claimed the first set by holding service and producing one more service break for a 6-1 win.
Foster took a one-break lead in the second set before Panova rallied for a 3-2 lead. Undaunted, Foster took over from there, taking the last four games to win the set, 6-3, and take the match. She?ll meet Southern California?s 16th-ranked Lindsey Nelson on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the round of 32. Another Foster victory would earn her singles All-America status.
Against Florida International?s 60th-ranked Paula Zabala, Kalsarieva opened with a 3-0 lead before Zabala held serve and broke Kalsarieva to cut the deficit to 3-2. Kalsarieva produced two more service breaks and held serve to take the first set, 6-2. Zabala broke Kalsarieva in the first game of the following set and held in the next game for a 2-0 lead before Kalsarieva held service and registered two breaks for a 4-2 lead. Zabala broke Kalsarieva once more and held service at 4-4, but Kalsarieva followed suit and took the set, 6-4, to end the match. Kalsarieva will meet Alabama?s 57th-ranked Ashley Bentley at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Kim Coventry, UK?s 30th-ranked sophomore, took on eighth-seeded and eighth-ranked Suzi Babos of California. Coventry and Babos each held serve through the first six games before Coventry broke Babos in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead. Coventry held and broke again to take the first set, 6-3.
Coventry held serve to open the second set, but Babos held and broke Coventry for the first time to take a 3-1 lead. Coventry pulled within 5-4, but Babos took the last game to force a third set.
Babos took control of the match by jumping out to a 4-0 lead before Coventry answered with a win in the fifth game. Babos broke and served out to claim the match with a 6-1 third-set win.
Kentucky?s top-two doubles pairs begin competition Tuesday in the NCAA Doubles Championships. UK?s seventh-ranked duo of Sarah Foster and Aibika Kalsarieva take on Arizona?s 15th-ranked Maja Mlakar and Dianne Hollands at 3 p.m. EDT. Kentucky?s Kim Coventry and Joelle Schwenk will meet Miami?s third-seeded tandem of Megan Bradley and Audrey Banada at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
NCAA Women?s Singles Championships ? Athens, Ga.
Round of 64
(4) Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. No. 60 Paula Zabala (FIU) ? 6-2, 6-4
No. 64 Sarah Foster (UK) def. No. 51 Daria Panova (Oregon) ? 6-1, 6-3
(8) Suzi Babos (California) def. No. 30 Kim Coventry (UK) ? 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Tuesday, May 23
Singles ? Round of 32
(4) Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) vs. No. 57 Ashley Bentley (Alabama) ? 10 a.m.
No. 64 Sarah Foster (UK) vs. No. 16 Lindsey Nelson (Southern California) ? 10 a.m.
Doubles ? First Round (round of 32)
(5-8 seed) S. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) vs. No. 15 Mlakar/Hollands (Arizona) ? 3 p.m.
(3) Banada/Bradley (Miami, Fla.) vs. No. 22 Coventry/Schwenk (UK) ? 1:30 p.m.
New Arrivals!
Congratulations go out to head coach Mark Guilbeau’s sister, Dana, on the births of twin girls today. Mark is now the proud uncle of Sophie and Jo Lee, born today, May 23, 2005. Mother and children are resting comfortably. Congrats!
