COLUMBIA, S.C. ? The Kentucky Wildcats matched up with the No. 30 South Carolina Gamecocks for their first SEC dual of the season Friday afternoon. The No. 22 Cats defeated the Gamecocks 4-3.
The Wildcats started the afternoon by sweeping doubles. Doubles pair of junior Carolina Escamilla and freshman Megan Broderick defeated South Carolina?s No. 17 pair of Gira Schofield and Ana Zubori, 8-6. On courts two and three, Kentucky showed dominance, winning 8-3 in both matches. Court two was fielded by UK?s Christine Johnston and Alaina Trgovich, while court three was held by Sarah Woestmann and Whitney Spencer. All three doubles teams are currently undefeated.
In singles play, the Wildcats showed their strength and pulled out the win by taking courts three, five, and six. Escamilla gained the first singles point for Kentucky against USC?s Natasa Vuckovic, 6-1, 6-4. Johnston and Spencer pulled out wins to secure the first conference win for the Bluegrass. Johnston beat out Jelena Rajic of the Gamecocks, 6-3, 6-3.
UK was tied with USC, 3-3, until Spencer nailed the final point in a game winning tie-breaker which beat USC?s Megan McGovak, 7-5, 7-6(2).
?Today our athletes played with great effort, especially during adverse circumstances,? stated Head Coach Carlos Drada. ?Christine and Whitney came through big for us. I am proud of everyone?s focus throughout the duration of the match. This is an important win on the road and I feel that it gives us a great deal of momentum for the rest of our season.?
Kentucky improves to an 8-0 record when winning the doubles point and 5-2 when playing another ranked team.
Kentucky will travel to Gainesville, Fla. to face the No. 7 Gators on Sunday March 2. The match is scheduled for noon at the Ring Tennis Complex. For more information on the Kentucky women?s tennis team, please visit www.ukathletics.com.
#22 Kentucky 4, #30 South Carolina 3
Singles
S1: #35 Gira Schofield (USC) def. #79 Sarah Woestmann (UK), 6-2, 6-2
S2: #56 Ana Zubori (USC) def. #95 Megan Broderick (UK), 6-1, 6-4
S3: Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Natasa Vuckovic (USC), 6-1, 6-4
S4: Miljana Jocic (USC) def. Alaina Trgovich (UK), 6-3, 6-3
S5: Christine Johnston (UK) def. Jelena Rajic (USC), 6-3, 6-3
S6: Whitney Spencer (UK) def. Megan McGovak (USC), 7-5, 7-6(2)
Doubles
D1: Broderick/Escamilla (UK) def. #17 Schofield/Zubori (USC), 8-6
D2: Johnston/Trgovich (UK) def. Jocic/Vuckovic (USC), 8-3
D3: Spencer/Woestmann (UK) def. Mansour/McGavock (USC), 8-3
