March 7, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The eighth-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team claimed its sixth win this season against a ranked opponent Sunday when it defeated No. 15 Ole Miss 5-2 at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
UK’s win snapped a 23-match SEC win streak by the Rebels, giving Ole Miss its first league loss in two seasons. The Wildcats remain undefated at home after eight matches this season.
UK claims its second win over a Southeastern Conference foe this weekend. The Wildcats topped No. 40 Mississippi State 4-3 on Friday in Lexington.
Kentucky (11-4, 2-0 SEC) swept the doubles point against Ole Miss (9-2, 1-1 SEC) and earned singles wins from No. 8 Eric Quigley (Pewee Valley, KY.) at No. 1, Anthony Rossi (Martigues, France) at No. 4, Alberto Gonzalez (Bradenton, Fla.) at No. 5 and Graeme Dyce (Edinburgh, Scotland) at No. 6.
The 15th-ranked doubles tandem of Quigley and Brad Cox (Duluth, Ga.) edged the Rebels duo of Tucker Vorster and Jonas Lutjen in a tiebreaker 8-7 (7-5) at No. 1 doubles. Gonzalez and Alex Lambropoulous (Lake Forest, Ill.) defeated Chris Thiemann and Marcel Thiemann 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. UK clinched the doubles point when Rossi and fellow Frenchman Alex Musialek (Dax, France) charted an 8-6 win over Adrian Forberg Skogeng and Jaime Vazquez 8-4.
The Wildcats quickly carried their momentum over to singles action when Dyce earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Vazquez at No. 6 singles. After 53rd-ranked Tucker Vortster knocked off UK’s Musialek 6-3, 6- 2 at No. 2 singles, Kentucky won the next three singles matches in straight sets to claim the win.
“For us to play this well against such a good team that understands how to play at a championship level is a big step forward for our team,” head coach Dennis Emery said. “Winning the doubles point was a big key to winning the match today. It really gave us a lot of momentum in singles play where we won the first set in five singles matches.”
Quigley earned a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 81 Marcel Thiemann at No. 1 singles. Rossi defeated Skogeng 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles. Gonzalez secured the team win with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Chris Thiemann at No. 5 singles.
Cox went to the super tiebreaker with Lutjen of Ole Miss before dropping a 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2), 10-5 decision.
The match was Kentucky’s first of the spring season played outdoors.
“It’s not an easy transition, but the guys really showed a lot of mental toughness playing outdoors today even though we haven’t had any opportunities to practice outside,” Emery said. “It may be the best transition made by a team since I’ve been here.”
Kentucky plays on the road next weekend with trips to Georgia on Friday at 1 p.m. EST and Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
Follow UK men’s tennis action at UKathletics.com
AGATE
Hilary J. Boone Indoor Tennis Complex
Lexington, Ky.
No. 8 Kentucky (11-4, 2-0 SEC) 5, No. 15 Ole Miss (9-2, 1-1 SEC) 2
Singles
1. No. 8 Eric Quigley (UK) def. No. 81 Marcel Thiemann (UM) 6-4, 6-2
2. No. 53 Tucker Vortster (UM) def. No. 37 Alex Musialek (UK) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jonas Lutjen (UM) def. Brad Cox (UK) 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2), 10-5
4. Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Adrian Forberg Skogeng (UM) 6-3, 6-4
5. Alberto Gonzalez (UK) def. Chris Thiemann (UM) 6-1, 6-3
6. Graeme Dyce (UK) def. Jaime Vazquez (UM) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
1. No. 15 Quigley/Cox (UK) def. Vorster/Lutjen (UM) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Gonzalez/Lambropoulos (UK) def. M. Thiemann/C. Thiemann (UM) 8-4
3. Rossi/Musialek (UK) def. Skogeng/Vazquez (UM) 8-6
Order of Finish: Doubles: 2, 3, 1; Singles: 6, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3
