The No. 20 Kentucky women’s tennis team (6-0, 0-0) slid past the No. 31 Buckeyes (4-4, 0-0), 4-3, in the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center Wednesday afternoon, keeping the Cats’ winning streak alive.
For only the second time this season, the Wildcats dropped the doubles point. Ohio State took courts two and three for a 1-0 lead. Kentucky’s number one duo, No. 42 Carolina Escamilla and Christine Johnston won on court one, 8-5, against the Buckeye’s Kirsten Flower and Christina Keesey.
The first four courts in singles went to three sets. Johnston was the first to come off with Kentucky’s first win on court three. The Wildcat came back to defeat Cami Hubbs of Ohio State after dropping the second set for a, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, victory. The Blue and White pulled ahead, 2-1, after Whitney Spencer took court four. Spencer trumped Julie Blackmore in the last two sets of the match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Wildcats’ No. 61 Megan Broderick earned the third team point in the toughest match of the day on court one. Broderick faced junior-transfer Flower in a three-set duel. After dropping the first set, 7-5, Broderick took the second, 6-4. The two players battled back and forth in the final set for almost an hour. Kentucky won the seventh and final game as Broderick’s ball flew past Flower just skimming inside the sideline of the court.
Ohio State added its second point with a win on court two. Paloma Escobedo defeated the Cats’ Carolina Escamilla, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Two Wildcat freshmen remained on the courts. While her teammate was struggling on court six, Caroline Lilley was trying to keep herself ahead of the Buckeye’s Kelsey Haviland. Lilley took the first set, 6-4, but started to fall behind in the second. Kentucky rallied back and the match sat tied at 5-5. But Haviland took charge and won 7-5 in the second. UK freshman Jennifer Stone fell to Ohio State’s Angela DiPastina on court six, 6-2, 6-1, as Lilley fell behind 3-0. The Portland, Ore., native fought back to tie it up at 3-3 then pushed ahead to 5-4. In the final game of the final set, Lilley and Haviland were tied at deuce. The next point went to Lilley for an advantage-Kentucky and she closed out the match, 6-4 in the final set.
Kentucky continues to lead the all-time series between the Cats and Buckeyes, 12-1.
#20 Kentucky 4, #31 Ohio State 3
Singles
1. #61 Megan Broderick (UK) def. Kirsten Flower (OSU), 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
2. Paloma Escobedo (OSU) def. Carolina Escamilla (UK), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Cami Hubbs (OSU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
4. Whitney Spencer (UK) def. Julie Blackmore (OSU), 3-6. 6-3, 6-4
5. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Kelsey Haviland (OSU), 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
6. Angela DiPastine (OSU) def. Jennifer Stone (UK), 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. #42 Escamilla/Johnston (UK) def. Flower/Keesey (OSU), 8-5
2. Escoboda/Blackmore (OSU) def. Broderick/Lilley (UK), 8-3
3. Haviland/DiPastina (OSU) def. Hines/Stone (UK), 8-6
Order of finish:
Singles: 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 5*
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
