LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The No. 23 Kentucky women?s tennis team returned to SEC action against Alabama Friday afternoon at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. The Wildcats held the advantage throughout the day and defeated Alabama, 5-2.
In the first outdoor match of the season, the Cats found their stride and swept doubles. The pair of freshman Megan Broderick and junior Carolina Escamilla rallied from behind on court one against Bama?s Paulina Bigos and Andrea Brenes to win the first match, 8-3. Kentucky duo sophomore Christine Johnston and freshman Alaina Trgovich grabbed an early lead against the Crimson Tide?s Bianca Svensson and Alice Tunaru. Johnston and Trgovich maintained control of the match and clinched the doubles point for UK with an 8-4 decision defeating Bama.
Sophomores Sarah Woestmann and Whitney Spencer took court three to a tie-break against UA?s Meritt Emery and Tiffany Welcher. UK traded point for point with Alabama, but after Kentucky fell behind 4-3, the Cats fought back to win the next three points, completing the sweep of the Crimson Tide, 7(7)-7(4).
Trgovich closed out the first match of singles action for Kentucky. The freshman started behind in the first set but rallied back to take the second point of the day, 6-2, 6-2, against Alabama?s Svensson. Columbus, Ohio native Johnston, exchanged points with Bama?s Emery in both sets, but Kentucky ultimately took the point with a 6-4, 6-3 decision.
Despite strong efforts by freshman Lauren Meier on court six, she fell to Alabama?s Shelley Goodwin, 6-4, 6-4. Goodwin earned the first win of the day for UA, putting the Tide?s on the board. Securing Kentucky?s victory was Broderick on court two. After a dominating first set of 6-1, Broderick fell in the second bout with Alabama?s Bigos, 6-3. In an effort to hold back the Tide, Broderick took big strides in the third set, defeating Bama 6-2 for the fourth point.
Court one marked the second point for the Crimson Tide. Welcher defeated No. 83 Woestmann in an intense two set match. The first set went into a 7-6(5) tie-break after players shared points. Welcher also took a quicker second set, 6-3. The last match of the day was between Escamilla and Tunaru on court three. Kentucky won an easy first set 6-1 but fell in a tight second round, 5-7. The Tide?s Tunaru could not hold on and Escamilla hammered out a 6-3 verdict to conclude the match.
UK remains undefeated when winning the doubles point with a 9-0 record. Kentucky?s next match is scheduled with No. 30 Auburn. UK will travel to Auburn, Ala. on March 23 to face the Tigers at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The match is scheduled to begin at noon ET. For complete coverage of the Kentucky women?s tennis team, please visit www.ukathletics.com.
#23 Kentucky 5, Alabama 2
Singles
S1: Tiffany Welcher (UA) def. #83 Sarah Woestmann (UK), 7-6(5), 6-3
S2: Megan Broderick (UK) def. Paulina Bigos, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
S3: Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Alice Tunaru (UA), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
S4: Christine Johnson (UK) def. Merritt Emery (UA), 6-4, 6-3
S5: Alaina Trgovich (UK) def. Bianca Svensson (UA), 6-2, 6-2
S6: Shelley Goodwin (UA) def. Lauren Meier (UK), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
D1: Broderick/Escamilla (UK) def. Bigos/Brenes (UA), 8-3
D2: Johnston/Trgovich (UK) def. Svensson/Tunaru (UA), 8-4
D3: Woestmann/Spencer (UK) def. Emery/Welcher (UA), 7(7)-7(4)
