April 21, 2010
ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 12-seed University of Kentucky women’s tennis team will battle No. 5-seed South Carolina on Thursday in first-round action of the Southeastern Conference Tournament hosted by the University of Georgia. The match begins at 10 a.m. ET on the Henry Feild Courts at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Kentucky’s top doubles team of sophomores Caroline Lilley (Portland, Ore.) and Minnette Pienaar (Graaf-Reinet, South Africa) have won four of their last seven completed matches. Their most recent victory was over No. 39 Anouk Tigu and Stephanie Roy of Arkansas 8-2. South Carolina’s top team is No. 18 Ana Zubori and Dijana Stojic.
Wildcat senior captain Christine Johnston (Columbus, Ohio) hopes to add to a 13-7 tally as her career winds at Kentucky. Johnston recorded a 6-3 SEC mark during the regular season. When Kentucky last faced the Gamecocks in early April, Johnston and her competitor, Anya Morgina, split sets in a fierce battle at No. 3 singles that Morgina claimed in a super tiebreaker, 6-4, 3-6, (10-8). Johnston claimed her last home match at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center over Arkansas Emily Carbone 5-7, 6-3 (10-7).
South Carolina blanked the Cats 7-0 in Columbia, S.C., when the squads met earlier this season. At that dual-match, Johnston and her doubles partner, Megan Broderick, defeated Miljana Jocic and Rita Maisak 8-7.
Should the Wildcats beat South Carolina, they will take on the host and SEC Tournament defending champion, Georgia on Friday at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Live statistics and a full recap of SEC Tournament matches can be found by visiting secsports.com or UKAthletics.com.
2010 SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament Schedule
Thursday, April 22
Match 1: No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 LSU at 10:00 a.m. (McWhorter Courts)
Match 2: No. 12 Kentucky vs. No. 5 South Carolina at 10:00 a.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
Match 3: No. 11 Mississippi State vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt at 2:00 p.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
Match 4: No. 10 Auburn vs. No. 7 Arkansas at 2:00 p.m. (McWhorter Courts)
Friday, April 23
Match 5: Winner Match 1 vs. No. 1 Florida at 10:00 a.m. (McWhorter Courts)
Match 6: Winner Match 2 vs. No. 4 Georgia at 10:00 a.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
Match 7: Winner Match 3 vs. No. 3 Tennessee at 2:00 p.m. (McWhorter Courts)
Match 8: Winner Match 4 vs. No. 2 Ole Miss at 2:00 p.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
Saturday, April 24
Match 9: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6 at 10:00 a.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
Match 10: Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 8 at 2:00 p.m. (McWhorter Courts)
Sunday, April 25
Match 11: Winner Match 9 vs. Winner Match 10 at 12:00 p.m. (Henry Feild Courts)
All times EASTERN and subject to change.
