April 15, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 13 University of Kentucky men’s tennis team will conclude its regular-season schedule when it travels to Nashville, Tenn., to face No. 29 Vanderbilt at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET
Kentucky (23-7, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a 3-1 week that included two key wins in SEC play. The Wildcats started the weekend by taking down No. 75 Arkansas 5-2 before closing out their home schedule with a 6-1 win over top-30 ranked LSU. The wins improved Kentucky’s home record to 16-3 for the season and 44-9 at home since the start of the 2009 season. The victory over LSU improved Kentucky’s record against teams ranked in the top 50 to 13-7, including an 8-3 home mark against teams ranked in the top 75.
The Wildcats also have performed well on the road, earning a 4-1 mark in SEC play with wins over three top-43 ranked teams. Kentucky is 7-4 overall on the road in 2011.
Kentucky enters the weekend having won five of its last six matches, including four consecutive SEC matches. The Wildcats have been led this season by junior Eric Quigley, who is ranked third in the country. The native of Pewee Valley, Ky., was named SEC Player of the Week last week after defeating three quality opponents, including then-No. 3 Blaz Rola of Ohio State. Quigley is 41-10 this year overall and 19-6 in dual matches.
Three other Wildcats are ranked in the top 120 in the nation with junior Alex Musialek coming in at No. 56. Musialek, who has been ranked in the top 70 all season long, has a team-high eight SEC wins, highlighting his 16-9 dual-match record. Senior Alberto Gonzalez moved up to No. 88 this week, after winning twice last week to improve his overall record to 20-8. Sophomore Anthony Rossi fell to No. 117.
UK is also well represented in doubles, posting two tandems in the top 85. Quigley and senior Brad Cox headline UK’s doubles attack at No. 32 in the nation after a 3-0 week in doubles. The tandem had its best week of the season, earning two wins over top-15 ranked doubles teams. Gonzalez and two-time SEC Freshman of the Week Tom Jomby are ranked 84th in doubles.
Vanderbilt (13-8, 4-6 SEC) has won four of its last five matches with its only loss during that stretch coming at the hands of top-20 ranked Florida in Gainesville. The Commodores enter the weekend with one ranked singles player and one ranked doubles duo. Sophomore Ryan Lipman comes in at No. 30 in the nation in singles with a 15-6 record in dual matches. The Nashville, Tenn., native is 6-4 in SEC action at No. 1 singles.
Lipman and senior Adam Baker are the lone doubles tandem ranked for Vanderbilt, coming in at No. 35 this week. The duo, which play at No. 1 doubles for VU, is 9-7 this year with a 2-4 mark in SEC play.
Live scores for the match will be available at UKatheltics.com. For more information on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, visit UKathletics.com or follow “University of Kentucky men’s tennis team” on Facebook.
