COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Kentucky doubles pair Kim Coventry and Joelle Schwenk won their opening round match of the ITA National Indoor Championships on Wednesday at the Racquet Club of Columbus.

Coventry and Schwenk, the ITA Southeast Regional champions, cruised past the South Region champions Whitney Benik and Nina Suvak or Florida, 8-5. The pair was ranked 33rd and became the third top-50 opponent Coventry and Schwenk have taken down in the past month.

?I am really thrilled for Kim and Joelle,? Kentucky coach Carlos Drada said. ?Today, they showed a lot of discipline under pressure and they gained valuable momentum that I feel will help them (on Friday).?

Up next for the UK pair is top-ranked Sara Anundsen and Jenna Long of North Carolina on Friday. Coventry and Schwenk knocked off the Tar Heel team, 8-5, just two weeks ago en route to the regional championship.

Anundsen and Long were one of only two seeded teams to advance in Thursday?s first round, beating a team from Northwestern. The other two seeded teams in the 16-team field were upset.