Feb. 26, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky earned three thrilling victories at Nos. 1-3 singles, but it wasn’t enough to top No. 37 Indiana on Saturday afternoon at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center as the visiting Hoosiers topped the Wildcats 4-3.
After dropping the doubles point, Kentucky fought back and took a 3-2 lead in singles before falling in the final two singles matches to ultimately lose the match 4-3.
The match of the day came at court 1 in No. 1 singles with senior Megan Broderick taking down Leslie Hureau in three sets, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3. The center court match felt like a boxing match with each player giving the other their best shot. Broderick trailed in the first set 5-2 before coming back to break Hureau twice and rally off four straight points to take a 6-5 lead. Hureau battled back however and took the set into a tiebreaker where she won 7-5. Broderick took the second set 6-4 to tie the match at a set apiece and send it into a third and deciding set. Broderick found herself trailing a break at 2-0 in the third set, but rallied once again. Broderick’s fortitude paid off in the end, firing off great shots of all different varieties to win the set and match.
Sophomore Jessica Stiles won at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-1. The victory was the third-straight singles victory for Stiles and fifth of the dual meet season. Stiles, Broderick and freshman Caitlin McGraw lead the Wildcats with five singles victories each during the spring season.
McGraw continued her hot streak in singles play as well. The Orlando, Fla., native won her third-straight match with a straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (3) win at the No. 3 position.
The Hoosiers took the doubles point after a hard fought match at the No. 1 position between Broderick and Khristina Blajkevitch and Indiana’s Hureau and Myriam Sopel. The Cats and Hoosiers battled back and forth throughout the match before Indiana took its first lead at 7-6. The Hoosiers would hold serve at the end and won the match and the doubles point with an 8-6 victory.
Kentucky will play again Friday against Ole Miss at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center to open up Southeastern Conference play. First serve will begin at 4:00 p.m. ET. Live results will be available at UKathletics.com.
Check out UKathletics.com throughout the year for all Kentucky women’s tennis news and results.
AGATE
Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
Feb. 26, 2011
No. 37 Indiana 4, Kentucky 3
Doubles competition:
1) Hureau/Sopel (IU) def. Broderick/Blajkevitch (UK) 8-6
2) Fujimoto/Vertesheva (IU) def. Stiles/Venter (UK) 8-2
3) Testerman/McGraw (UK) led Martin/Zapadalova (IU) 7-6 DNF
Singles competition:
1) Megan Broderick (UK) def. Leslie Hureau (IU) 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3
2) Jessica Stiles (UK) def. Evgeniya Vertesheva (IU) 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-1
3) Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Katya Zapadalova (IU) 6-4, 7-6 (3)
4) Charlotte Martin (IU) def. Khristina Blajkevitch (UK) 6-4, 6-4
5) Kayla Fujimoto (IU) def. Misha Testerman (UK) 6-3, 6-1
6) Myriam Sopel (IU) def. Cece Witten (UK) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish:
Doubles – 2, 1*
Singles – 3, 4, 2, 1, 5, 6*
