LEXINGTON, Ky. ?The University of Kentucky finished the season with a No. 22 ranking and a 16-10 overall record. The top-25 finish for the Cats was the 17th in school history and the 11th consecutive top-35 ranking for the program.
Kentucky received its 18th NCAA bid and the then-No. 23 Cats were placed in the Nashville, Tenn. regional. After winning the first round 4-1 against No. 44 Boise State, UK faced SEC rival, No. 11 ranked Vanderbilt but fell 4-3.
Earlier in the season the Wildcats were ranked as high as the No. 15 spot. Kentucky also saw upsets of three top-25 schools. UK swept then-No. 23 Michigan early in the season. The Cats later upset No. 18 Clemson 5-2 in Clemson, S.C. and then SEC opponent No. 17 Tennessee 5-2 in the last home match of the year.
Freshman Megan Broderick finished the season with an 18-6 singles record and national ranking at No. 76. The Tampa, Fla. native advanced from the No. 2 position to No. 1 and upset three higher ranked players, two of which also competed in the 2008 NCAA Singles Championship. Broderick was also the only freshman awarded SEC Freshman of the Week honors three times on the season. She was also named to the Freshman All-SEC team, as well as the All-SEC Second team.
Sophomore Sarah Woestmann took the No. 111 position in the final rankings and ended the season with a 10-13 singles record. In Kentucky?s upset of Clemson, Woestmann defeated No. 53 Federica van Adrichem, 2-6, 6-2, 1-0(2). The UK sophomore ranked as high as No. 69 on the season.
The Kentucky tandem of Johnston and Escamilla began the season ranked at the No. 20 spot and finished at No. 30. The sophomore and junior duo played the majority of the season at court one, hitting an 8-7 record. Johnston and Escamilla defeated two top-50 pairs during the season. Despite a shuffling of doubles teams mid-season, the pair ended the season together and were selected as second alternates for the NCAA Doubles Championship in Tulsa, Okla.
For complete coverage of the Kentucky women?s tennis team, please visit www.ukathletics.com.
