Fayetteville, Ark. ? The No. 27 Kentucky women?s tennis team won seven of the nine matches played Sunday against 62nd-ranked Arkansas to get a 6-1 victory in Fayetteville, Ark. By winning its third straight road match, UK upped its record to 10-6 (3-1 SEC).
UK began the day by winning the doubles point to go up 1-0. At the No. 1 spot, junior Kim Coventry and freshman Carolina Escamilla took down the Hogs? Aurelija Miseviciute and Ela Kaluder 8-6. Kentucky clinched the point when senior Danielle Petrisko and junior Caroline Winebrenner defeated Arkansas? Melissa Cornett and Audrey Bordeleau 8-6. The victory was the fourth straight for the team of Petrisko and Winebrenner.
For the second consecutive match, Kentucky received victories from the No. 2-6 spots in the lineup.
Junior Joelle Schwenk got the Cats off to a quick start with a 6-2, 6-2, win over the Razorbacks? Vlatka Jovanovic. The win moved Schwenk?s SEC record to 3-1.
Escamilla captured UK?s second singles match with a 6-2, 6-3, win over Maryori Franco. The Medellin, Colombia, native is a perfect 4-0 in SEC action and is currently riding a five-match winning streak.
Clinching the match for UK was Petrisko. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native swept the Hogs? Karina Ledaja 6-3, 6-3. Petrisko is also a perfect 4-0 in conference action.
Rounding out UK?s day with victories was junior Lara Maurer and freshman Jessica Giuggioli. The two Cats both won their matches in three sets. Maurer defeated No. 45 Ela Kaluder 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, while Giuggioli outlasted the Hogs? Melissa Cornett 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, for her fifth straight win.
?I am really proud of our players,? head coach Carlos Drada said. ?As a team, we were able to play a highly efficient match. We were able to work through a lot of adversity and our team is stronger after today. We are a team that continues to improve with every match. We look to play each match with this type of determination and efficiency.?
The Cats will be off this week and will return to action on Mar. 24, when they head to Starkville, Miss., to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
No. 27 Kentucky 6, Arkansas 1
Singles
1. Aurelija Miseviciute (UA) def. Kim Coventry (UK) 6-0, 6-1
2. Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Vlatka Jovanovic (UA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Lara Maurer (UK) def. Ela Kaluder (UA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Danielle Petrisko (UK) def. Karina Ledaja (UA) def. 6-3, 6-3
5. Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Maryori Franco (UA) 6-2, 6-3
6. Jessica Giuggioli (UK) def. Melissa Cornett (UA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. Kim Coventry/Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Aurelija Miseviciute/Ela Kaluder (UA) 8-6
2. Maryori Franco/ Karina Ledaja (UA) def. Lara Maurer/Joelle Schwenk (UK) 8-4
3. Danielle Petrisko/Caroline Winebrenner (UK) def. Melissa Cornett/Audrey Bordeleau (UA) 8-6
