KNOXVILLE, Tenn.? The University of Kentucky women?s tennis team had a difficult start to its opening day of singles play at the St. Mary?s Classic hosted by the University of Tennessee as the Wildcats won only two of 11 matches at the Goodfriend Tennis Center and Varsity Courts.
Junior Joelle Schwenk posted the Wildcats? lone victory in the opening round after her opponent, Nandita Chandrasekar of N.C. State, was forced to withdraw due to an injury. Schwenk fell to Tennessee?s Blakeley Griffith in the winner?s bracket. The Coconut Creek, Fla., native won the first set 7-6 before falling in the next two, 6-2, 6-1. Schwenk will face North Carolina?s Tanja Markovic at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Kim Coventry fell to Rice?s Blair DiSesa in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, before defeating Furman?s Laura Gioia in the consolation bracket, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2. Coventry will face Purdue?s Hala Sufi in the consolation bracket at 9 a.m. Sunday. Sufi defeated Tennessee?s Vicky Jones, 6-2, 6-2, in consolation play to advance.
Junior Lara Mauer won the first set with Tennessee?s Bryce Marable 6-1, but dropped the next two sets of the match, 6-2, 6-1. Mauer was defeated by North Carolina?s Laura Reichert in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, and will face Kimberley Patenaude of Rice at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Liis Sober lost to Rice?s Dominique Karas, 6-5, 6-3, in her opening match of the day before falling to Jacqueline Eckert of Furman, 6-1, 6-4, in consolation play. Sober will square off with Rice?s Tiffany Lee at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Junior Caroline Winebrenner lost her opening match to Lauren Tomory of Furman, 6-1, 6-2, and was defeated by N.C. State?s Agustina Arechavaleta after dropping a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 match.
Senior Danielle Petrisko, slated to face Wake Forest?s Christian Tara in the opening round, withdrew from her match due to injury.
Play at the St. Mary?s Classic continues at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Goodfriend Tennis Center and Varsity Courts. Complete recaps will be available on ukathletics.com.
St. Mary’s Classic – Knoxville, Tenn.
Saturday, Sept. 17 ? Singles (Opening Round)
Blair DiSesa (Rice) def. Kim Coventry (UK) ? 6-3, 6-3
Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Nandita Chandrasekar (N.C. State) ? W.D. (inj.)
Bryce Marable (Tennessee) def. Lara Mauer (UK) ? 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
Christian Tara (Wake Forest) def. Danielle Petrisko (UK) ? W.D. (inj.)
Dominique Karas (Rice) def. Liis Sober (UK) ? 6-5, 6-3
Lauren Tomory (Furman) def. Caroline Winebrenner (UK) ? 6-1, 6-2
Saturday, Sept. 17 ? Singles (Winner?s Bracket)
Blakeley Griffith (Tennessee) def. Joelle Schwenk (UK) ? 6-7, 6-2, 6-1
Saturday, Sept. 17 ? Singles (Consolation Bracket)
Kim Coventry (UK) def. Laura Gioia (Furman) ? 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
Laura Reichert (UNC) def. Lara Mauer (UK) ? 6-3, 6-2
Jacqueline Eckert (Furman) def. Liis Sober (UK) ? 6-1, 6-4
Agustina Arechavaleta (N.C. State) def. Caroline Winebrenner (UK) ? 6-4, 7-5
