Jan. 17, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – It took over four hours but the No. 23 Kentucky women’s tennis team came out victorious against No. 46 Marshall Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats won, 4-3, on the Thundering Herd’s home court in Huntington, W. Va.
The match marked the Wildcats’ second consecutive season opener against the Herd. The Cats now lead the series 11-0.
Sophomore Megan Broderick paired with freshman Caroline Lilley for the first Blue and White win on court three. Marshall’s Catherine Kellner and Kristina Koprcina could only manage to take one game against the Kentucky duo, dropping the match, 8-1.
The Herd’s number one pair, No. 44 Kellie Schmitt and Karolina Soor, out-maneuvered Kentucky’s No. 42 Carolina Escamilla and Christine Johnston on court one, 8-2, for the first MU point. Marshall captured the doubles round with a tie break-win on court two. Jessica Keener and Deanna Bailey defeated UK’s Sarah Woestmann and Jennifer Stone, 9-8 (1).
Down 1-0, the Wildcats looked for a chance to rebound back into the match. Junior Whitney Spencer tied the match with a court five victory over Marshall’s Keener, 6-3, 6-2. Kentucky’s Lilley followed closely behind Spencer taking the match 6-4, 6-3, against Bailey for the lead, 2-1.
Johnston prevailed over Soor on the third court, 6-4, 6-2, leaving only one match point needed for a Wildcat win. UK’s senior Escamilla came through for her team, earning the fourth and final point in a 6-2, 6-4, over the Herd’s Isabell Raich.
Courts one and six were played out and went in Marshall’s favor. The 2008 C-USA Player of the Year, No. 33 Kellie Schmitt, defeated Kentucky’s No. 61 Broderick on court one in a three set-dual. Schmitt won the first set out the gate, 6-1, but Broderick earned the second, 7-5. In the deciding set, Schmitt over-powered the Tampa, Fla., native, 7-5. Woestmann was also defeated in a three set decision with a match tie-break for the third. Marshall’s Kellner gave up the first set to the Wildcat, 6-4, but came back in a 6-4, win of her own. During the tie-break set, Woestmann only managed four points as she fell to Kellner, 10-4.
The team returns to Lexington for its first home match on Fri., Jan. 30, against East Tennessee State at 9:00 a.m. ET and Eastern Kentucky at 2:00 p.m. ET at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
#23 Kentucky 4, #46 Marshall 3
Singles
1. #33 Kellie Schmitt (MAR) def. #61 Megan Broderick (UK) 6-1, 5-7, 7-5
2. Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Isabell Raich (MAR) 6-2, 6-4
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Karolina Soor (MAR) 6-4, 6-2
4. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Deanna Bailey (MAR) 6-4, 6-3
5. Whitney Spencer (UK) def. Jessica Keener (MAR) 6-3, 6-2
6. Catherine Kellner (MAR) def. Sarah Wöstmann (UK) 4-6, 6-4, 10-4
Doubles
1. #44 Kellie Schmitt/Karolina Soor (MAR) def. #42 Carolina Escamilla/Christine Johnston (UK) 8-2
2. Jessica Keener/Deanna Bailey (MAR) def. Sarah Wöstmann/Jennifer Stone (UK) 9-8, 7-1
3. Megan Broderick/Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Catherine Kellner/Kristina Koprcina (MAR) 8-1
Match Notes:
Kentucky 1-0; National ranking #23
Marshall 0-1; National ranking #46
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,4,3,2,1,6)
T-4:10
