Oct. 18, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team completed the qualifying round of the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Thursday afternoon, with freshmen Kirsten Lewis and Nadia Ravita winning two matches to advance to the doubles main draw in West Lafayette, Ind.
“We had a great day today,” said UK head coach Carlos Drada. “In doubles, our freshmen Kirsten and Nadia qualified for the main draw after winning two qualifying rounds. Our sophomore Edmée lost in three sets in the last round of qualifiers but demonstrated great effort in a highly contested match. I am proud of the players today and am looking forward to tomorrow’s competition.”
The duo of Lewis and Ravita started off the day with an 8-3 win over Konstantina Adami and Caroline Hedrick of Butler. Hours later, the tandem came back and won decisively, 8-1, over Lauren Pickrel and Paola Rodriguez of Ball State to solidify their spot in the doubles round of 32.
Lewis and Ravita will pair up Friday to face Melissa Gerritsen and Kristina Labeja of Eastern Kentucky University at 8 a.m.
Sophomore Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff started the afternoon with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Maggie Leavell of Vanderbilt before falling in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, to Courtney Earnest of Ball State. Morin-Kougoucheff will team up with junior Khristina Blajkevitch tomorrow morning to take on Frances Altick and Georgina Sellyn of Vanderbilt at 10:30 a.m. in the doubles round of 32.
Junior Caitlin McGraw and senior Jessica Stiles will take on Valentina Schneider and Alex Tachovsky of Louisville at 9 a.m.
McGraw will begin singles play Friday afternoon at 6:15 p.m., taking on Yuiri Nomoto of Middle Tennessee State. Sophomore Stephanie Fox matches up against Mara Schmidt of Purdue at 1 p.m. on Friday while Ravita goes up against Kaylene Chadwell of UT Chattanooga at 7:45 p.m.
Follow results throughout the day on Twitter with the hashtag “#USTAITARegionals”.
USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional
West Lafayette, Ind.
Oct. 18-21, 2012
Thursday Qualifying Doubles Competition:
Ravita/Lewis (UK) def. Adami/Hedrick (Butler) 8-3
Ravita/Lewis (UK) def. Pickrel/Rodriguez (Ball State) 8-1
Friday Doubles Competition:
Blajkevitch/Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) vs. Altick/Sellyn (VU) 10:30 a.m.
McGraw/Stiles (UK) vs. Schneider/Tachovsky 9 a.m.
Ravita/Lewis (UK) vs. Gerritsen/Labeja (EKU) 8 a.m.
Thursday Singles Competition:
Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) def. Maggie Leavell (VU) 6-3, 6-1
Leavell (VU) def. Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Friday Singles Competition:
Caitlin McGraw (UK) vs. Yuiri Nomoto (MTSU) 6:15 p.m.
Stephanie Fox (UK) vs. Mara Schmidt (UTC) 7 p.m.
Nadia Ravita (UK) vs. Kaylene Chadwell (UTC) 7:45 p.m.
