April 16, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team came up short 6-1 in its final match of the regular season against Vanderbilt at the Currey Tennis Center on Friday. The Wildcats claimed a win at No. 3 singles by senior Christine Johnston.
The Wildcats’ captain streaked through her match against Chelsea Preeg 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Johnston’s victory in UK’s regular season finale gives the Columbus, Ohio native a 13-7 overall record in singles action this season and 7-3 tally in the Southeastern Conference. Johnston hopes to add to that record at the SEC Championship April 22-25 in Athens, Ga.
Johnston came close to another win Friday with her doubles partner junior Megan Broderick (Tampa, Fla.). The pair of veteran Wildcats were narrowly defeated by Catherine Newman and Erica Robertson 8-5 in the No. 2 slot. UK’s No. 1 doubles team of sophomores Caroline Lilley (Portland, Ore.) and Minnette Pienaar (Graff-Reinet, South Africa) lost to the 28th-ranked Chelsea Preeg and Jackie Wu 8-1. On the third court, UK freshman Elle Coldiron (Lexington, Ky.) and sophomore Nicole Scates (Lexington, Ky.) were defeated by VU’s Hannah Blatt and Rachael Dillon 8-0.
Kentucky’s Lilley played a tough match at No. 2 singles against Wu, who is ranked No. 32 in the nation. The two battled on serve in the first, but Wu would take the tiebreaker 7-2. The Commodore would finish out the match 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
In a similar first set, UK’s Pienaar held serve with Vanderbilt’s Keilly Ulery, leading to a tiebreaker. Ulery would go on to take the match 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of UK women’s tennis.
AGATE
Kentucky (2-19, 0-11 SEC) 1, Vanderbilt (11-8, 6-4 SEC) 6
Doubles
1. No. 28 Chelsea Preeg/Jackie Wu (VU) def. Caroline Lilley/Minnette Pienaar (UK) 8-1
2. Catherine Newman/Erica Robertson (VU) def. Megan Broderick/Christine Johnston (UK) 8-5
3. Hannah Blatt/Rachael Dillon(VU) def. Elle Coldiron/Nicole Scates (UK) 8-0
Singles
1. No. 29 Catherine Newman (VU) def. No. 98 Megan Broderick (UK) 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 32 Jackie Wu (VU) def. Caroline Lilley (UK) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Chelsea Preeg (VU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Minnete Pienaar (UK) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
5. Rachael Dillon (VU) def. Elle Coldiron (UK) 6-0, 6-0
6. Hannah Blatt (VU) def. Nicole Scates (UK) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles : 3, 1*, 2 Singles: 6, 5, 1*, 3, 4, 2
