April 15, 2010

LEXINGTION, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team plays its regular-season finale at 30th-ranked Vanderbilt on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET at the Currey Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn. 

Kentucky’s top doubles team of sophomores Caroline Lilley (Portland, Ore.) and Minnette Pienaar (Graaf-Reinet, South Africa) hope to continue its hot streak after defeating the 39th-ranked doubles tandem of Anouk Tigu and Stephanie Roy of Arkansas 8-2 this past weekend. Vanderbilt’s top doubles pair, Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu, is listed at No. 25.

Senior Christine Johnston (Columbus, Ohio) owns a 12-7 overall record and 6-3 Southeastern Conference mark. She has won six out of her last seven completed matches. The UK captain outlasted Arkansas’ Emily Carbone in a thrilling super tiebreaker, 5-7, 6-3, (10-7) at last Sunday’s Senior Day. 

Only one win separates Kentucky and Vanderbilt in the overall series with the Commodores owning a 20-19 advantage. Vanderbilt was victorious over the Wildcats in 2009, blanking Kentucky 7-0.

The next challenge for the Wildcats following Friday’s Vanderbilt match comes at the SEC Championship April 22-25 in Athens, Ga.

Live statistics and a full recap of the matches with Vanderbilt can be found by visiting UKathletics.com.