Jan. 19, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s tennis team opened the 2013 season with two wins on Saturday, defeating Morehead State 6-0 in the morning and Belmont 6-1 on Saturday night, dropping just two sets throughout the day.

“We had a lot of success today implementing the patterns that we have been working on in practice,” UK head coach Carlos Drada said. “The translation into competition provided us the results we were hoping to see.”

The Wildcats took an early lead in the Morehead State match, winning both doubles matches in convincing fashion. As the No. 1 doubles team, junior Caitlin McGraw and freshman Nadia Ravita clinched the doubles point for Kentucky with an 8-1 win. Sophomore Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff and senior Jessica Stiles wrapped up the No. 2 doubles match with an 8-2 victory. Morehead State was forced to withdraw from the No. 3 doubles match due to only bringing five players to compete.

Stiles jumped out for Kentucky with a quick 6-1, 6-0 win the No. 2 singles spot before Lewis took the No. 4 singles match in similar fashion, 6-0, 6-1. Ravita’s 6-2, 6-1 victory in the No. 1 spot sealed the win for the Wildcats as it was their fourth point of the day.

Although the match was clinched, the No. 3 and 5 matches were played out. Morin-Kougoucheff and sophomore Stephanie Fox took the matches in two sets each, Morin-Kougoucheff winning 6-0, 6-4 and Fox 6-0, 6-0. Morehead State withdrew from the No. 6 singles match.

Continuing on from the sweep over Morehead State, the Wildcats defeated Belmont with ease on Saturday night. Lewis and Stiles paired up in the No. 2 doubles slot and were the first to finish, winning 8-1. As the Wildcats’ No. 1 doubles pair, McGraw and Ravita clinched the doubles point for Kentucky with an 8-1 win. Fox and Trimble were trailing in the No. 3 doubles slot 4-5 before the match was abandoned.

In singles play, Ravita recorded her second win of the day in the No. 1 slot. The freshman breezed through two sets, winning the match 6-1, 6-1. McGraw continued with a 6-1, 6-2 win in the No.4 singles position. In the No. 2 spot, Morin-Kougoucheff sealed Kentucky’s win with a 6-1, 6-2 win that gave Kentucky its fourth point of the competition.

Lewis improved her collegiate career record to 2-0 as the freshman won the No. 3 match in two sets, 6-1, 6-3. Fox delivered a second dominating performance on the day, winning the No. 5 singles match 6-0, 6-0. The sophomore was in a zone, failing to drop a game in two matches on Saturday. Sophomore Grace Trimble fell in singles play to Ann Lauren Fiepke 6-2, 6-1.

“I want to congratulate all of our players for the focus and importance that each of them gave to our season opener,” Drada said. “This team is hungry to have their best season”

Kentucky will return to action Feb. 1 when they travel to Huntington, W. Va., to face Marshall.

 
Kentucky 6 – Morehead State 0

Doubles
1 – Caitlin McGraw/Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Sandrine Beaule/Victoria Cran (MSU) 8-1
2 – Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff/Jessica Stiles (UK) def. Dominique-Chante Mclean/Lissa Pacheco-Brousseau (MSU) 8-2
3 – Kentucky def. Morehead State – WD

Singles
1 – Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Victoria Cran (MSU) 6-2, 6-0
2 – Jessica Stiles (UK) def. Dominique-Chante Mclean (MSU) 6-1, 6-0
3 – Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) def. Lissa Pacheco-Brousseau (MSU) 6-0, 6-4
4 – Kirsten Lewis (UK) def. Sandrine Beaule (MSU) 6-0, 6-1
5 – Stephanie Fox (UK) def. Morgan Wright (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
6 – Kentucky def. Morehead State – WD

Kentucky 6 – Belmont 1

Doubles
1 – Caitlin McGraw/Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Carolyn Caire/Sandra Kancheva (Belmont) 8-1
2 – Kirsten Lewis/Jessica Stiles (UK) def. Catherine Holliday/Natalia Nunes (Belmont) 8-1
3 – Nikki Maciel/Erika Marschall (Belmont) vs. Stephanie Fox/Grace Trimble (UK) 5-4 abd.

Singles
1 – Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Catherine Holliday (Belmont) 6-1, 6-1
2 – Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) def. Nikki Maciel (Belmont) 6-1, 6-2
3 – Kirsten Lewis (UK) def. Carolyn Caire (Belmont) 6-1, 6-3
4 – Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Sandra Kancheva (Belmont) 6-1, 6-2
5 – Stephanie Fox (UK) def. Natalia Nunes (Belmont) 6-0, 6-0
6 – Ann Lauren Fiepke (Belmont) def. Grace Trimble (UK) 6-2, 6-1.