LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Kentucky women?s tennis team (10-3 overall, 1-1 SEC) has recently moved up seven spots in the rankings to No. 15 after the first two matches of SEC play. UK looks to hold its position against No. 21 LSU (7-3, 2-0) on Friday March 7 at 3 p.m. and No. 30 Arkansas (8-5, 1-1) on Sunday March 9 at its new time of 11 a.m. Both matches will be held at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
UK holds the advantage over both schools with all-time records of 14-11 and 16-2 over LSU and Arkansas, respectively. The Cats have faced the schools back-to-back since 2002 and over those six years have won both matches four times. Last time Kentucky played either team was in 2007 when Kentucky won 4-3 against the Tigers and 4-1 against the Razorbacks.
The Wildcats remain undefeated at home with an 8-0 record and 5-2 against ranked opponents. As a team, UK has continued to climb up the polls and show their strength with continually ranked individuals and doubles pairs.
The Wildcats most recently beat then-No. 30 South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., 4-3, in a tight tie-breaker. Sophomore Whitney Spencer secured the fourth and last point for Kentucky against Gamecock Megan McGovak, 7-5, 7-6(2). McGovak had scored the first two tie-break points, but Spencer handled the rest, sealing UK?s first SEC victory. Despite a 6-1 loss to then-No. 7 Florida on Sunday, Kentucky managed to move up in the rankings and gain singles and doubles rankings.
Sophomore No. 77 Sarah Woestmann moved up two positions from last week after competing against No. 35 Gira Schofield of South Carolina and No. 74 Julia Cohen of Florida. In doubles action, the new pairing of junior Carolina Escamilla and freshman Megan Broderick now rank No. 50 nationally and hold a 3-1 record. The duo beat the Gamecocks? No. 17 pair of Schofield and Ana Zubori, 8-6. Escamilla and Broderick have only lost to No. 15 doubles from Florida, Megan Alexander and Marrit Boonstra.
The matches will be hosted by Kentucky at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center and are slated to begin at 3 p.m. on Friday March 7, against LSU and at its new time of 11 a.m. on Sunday March 9, against Arkansas.
For more information on Kentucky women?s tennis, please visit www.ukathletics.com.
