March 28, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Wildcats could not pull a repeat upset against the No. 71 Alabama on Sunday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The last time the two teams met, Kentucky knocked off then-No. 24 Alabama by the same score, 4-3.        

The Tide swept the doubles point, surmounting Kentucky’s doubles teams on courts No. 2 and 3. Alabama’s Antonia Foehse and Alice Tunaru routed Wildcat pair junior Megan Broderick and senior Christine Johnston 8-4 at the No. 2 spot. On court No. 3, Elle Coldiron (Lexington, Ky.) and Nicole Scates (Lexington, Ky. ) fell to fellow-Lexington native Meritt Emery and her partner Paulina Bigos (Krasnik, Poland). 47th-ranked duo Alexa Guarachi and Courtney McLane did not finished their match, but led top Wildcat tandem, Caroline Lilley and Minnette Pienaar (7-4).

Point No. 1 for Kentucky came from court No. 1 and junior Broderick. Broderick (Tampa, Fla.) kept steady pressure on No. 39 Guarachi and crushed the freshman 6-3, 6-1.

Pienaar (Graaff-Reinet, South Africa) also had a quick win in the No. 4 singles spot. The sophomore conquered Bigos in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 and nabbed the Blue and White’s second overall point.     

Wildcat captain Johnston improved to 10-6 by overcoming junior Emery 6-3, 6-1 on the third court to bring Kentucky point No. 3.

Seemingly, the match hung on the outcome of No. 2 singles where Lilley (Portland, Ore.) narrowly missed the first set 7-6 (8-6) against the Tide’s McLane. The second set was another nail bitter, but McLane took set and match 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-1).

Kentucky will have its last Southeastern Conference weekend road trip when the Blue and White face South Carolina on April 2 at 2 p.m. ET and Florida on April 4 at 1 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of UK women’s tennis.

AGATE

Kentucky (2-14, 0-6 SEC) 3, No. 71 Alabama (7-9, 1-5 SEC) 4

Doubles

1. Lilley/Pienaar (UK) vs. Gaurachi/McLane (UA) 7-4, dnf.
2. Tunaru/Foehse (UA) def. Broderick/Johnston (UK) 8-4
3. Emery/Bigos (UA) def. Coldiron/Scates (UK) 8-0

Singles

1. No. 123 Megan Broderick (UK) def. No. 39 Alexa Guarachi (UA) 6-1, 6-3
2. Courtney McLane (UA) def. Caroline Lilley (UK) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-1)
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Meritt Emery  (UA) 6-3, 6-1
4. Minnete Pienaar (UK) def. Paulina Bigos (UA) 6-3, 6-2
5. Antonia Foehse (UA) def. Elle Coldiron (UK), 6-1, 6-0
6. Alice Tunaru (UA) def. Nicole Scates (UK), 6-1, 6-0

Order of finish:   Doubles : 2, 3*      Singles: 1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 6*

–GO CATS!–