Oct. 1, 2008
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Three members of the University of Kentucky women’s tennis team had their ITA All-American runs cut short. Sophomore Megan Broderick, junior Christine Johnston, and senior Carolina Escamilla each competed in the qualifying rounds in Pacific Palisades, Calif., at the Riviera Tennis Club. All three Wildcats advanced to the third round of competition but, were unable to capture a ticket to the main draw.
Kentucky’s Broderick was an automatic entry into the singles qualifying round, ranking at No. 55 in the nation after an 18-6 season in 2008 and playing primarily in the number one position for the Cats. The Tampa, Fla., native defeated San Diego State’s Olivia Colman in the round of 64, 6-3, 6-2. Broderick continued her ITA run in the round of 32, taking to the net against Andrea Remynse of UCLA. After a dropped first set at 7-6(6), the Wildcat stepped up her game and won the next two sets, 6-4, 6-2.
In another three-set match, Broderick faced Southeastern Conference foe, No. 40 Catherine Newman of Vanderbilt. Newman took the first set 6-4, but Kentucky secured the next, 6-4, to split the match. The winning decision rested on a third set, which Vandy’s own managed to capture, 6-0.
The No. 16 duo in the nation, Escamilla and Johnston were one of only 24 teams automatically selected to the doubles qualifying round and seeded at the number three position. During the first day of doubles action, the Wildcat tandem defeated Maria Sanchez and Alison Ramos of Southern California for an 8-4 Blue and White victory.
The Kentucky pair took to the baseline opposite Cal Poly’s No. 31 Brittany Blalock and Steffi Wong in the round of 16. To advance to the quarterfinals, Escamilla and Johnston defeated the Mustangs, 8-6. During the third doubles match of the qualifier, Big Blue’s leading duo was toppled by the No. 18 tandem, Baylor’s Csilla Borsanyi and Lenka Broosova, 8-2.
UK takes to the court next at the ITA Southeast Regional in Winston Salem, N.C., and the June Stewart Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., both beginning match play on Oct. 17.
To follow the Wildcat women’s tennis team, please visit www.ukathletics.com.
