March 4, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Despite a strong effort all around, the Kentucky women’s tennis team dropped its opening match of the Southeastern Conference season, 7-0, to visiting Ole Miss at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Playing in their first outdoor match of the spring season, the Wildcats and Bulldogs faced windy conditions all afternoon and into the evening.
Senior Megan Broderick and freshman Khristina Blajkevitch dropped a hard fought match at No. 1 doubles. Trailing 5-1 in the match, Broderick and Blajkevitch rallied to take a 7-6 lead. The Rebels didn’t fold however and took the match in a tiebreaker, 7-4.
Broderick got up early on Mississippi’s Connor Vogel in the first set at No. 1 singles, but couldn’t hold on to take the 1-0 lead. Broderick and Vogel exchanged games throughout the second set, often having to go to deuce to decide them. Vogel broke Broderick late in the second set though and took the set and the match, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Blajkevitch found herself in a hole down one set and trailing in the second, but rallied to take a 5-4 lead. Ole Miss’ Laura van de Stroet had a rally of her own though, and took the set and the match 6-3, 7-5.
Ole Miss moves to 6-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. Friday’s win was the fourth straight for the Rebels.
Kentucky (2-8, 0-1 SEC) will play again Sunday in another SEC showdown at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex when the Mississippi State Bulldogs come to town. Mississippi State (2-5, 0-1 SEC) fell at No. 10 Vanderbilt on Friday, 7-0.
Check out UKathletics.com for live stats, post-match results and a recap from Sunday’s match against the Bulldogs, and for all Kentucky women’s tennis news.
AGATE
Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
March 4, 2011
No. 33 Ole Miss 7, Kentucky 0
Doubles competition:
1) Vogel/Rangel (UM) def. Broderick/Blajkevitch (UK) 8-7 (4)
2) Rohde-Moe/van de Stroet (UM) def. McGraw/Venter (UK) 8-5
3) Guthrie/Vlaar (UM) def. Stiles/Testerman (UK) 8-3
Singles competition:
1) No. 122 Connor Vogel (UM) def. Megan Broderick (UK) 7-6 (2), 6-4
2) Caroline Rohde-Moe (UM) def. Jessica Stiles (UK) 6-4, 6-1
3) Abby Guthrie (UM) def. Caitlin McGraw (UK) 6-2, 6-4
4) Laura van de Stroet (UM) def. Khristina Blajkevitch (UK) 6-3, 7-5
5) Vivian Vlaar (UM) def. Marni Venter (UK) 6-1, 6-1
6) Gabby Rangel (UM) def. Misha Testerman (UK) 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish:
Doubles – 2, 3*, 1
Singles – 6, 5, 3*, 2, 4, 1
