Jan. 18, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team started its 2014 season and home opener Saturday, Jan. 18 with a 7-0 win over Cincinnati in the morning and a 4-2 win over Ball State in the evening at the Boone Tennis Center in Lexington, Ky.
“It’s a great step in the right direction,” UK Head Coach Carlos Drada said. “Our players are really buying into the process and we have a lot of players that can contribute. They are seeing from each other how we are supposed to compete and it was a positive day. Even in the losses, we learned a lot.”
The Wildcats began the Cincinnati match firing on all cylinders and claiming the lead early, winning all three doubles matches. No. 56 Cece Witten and Kelsey Dieters completely dominated in the No. 1 doubles position taking down UC’s Caitlin O’ Gara and Kelly Poggensee-Wei, 6-1. UK duo Edmèe Morin-Kougoucheff and Aldila Sutijiadi followed suit and knocked off Ashleigh Witte and Lauren Bellinger, 6-2. Clinching the doubles point, Senior Caitlin McGraw and Sophomore Kirsten Lewis won the No. 3 doubles position over Cincinnati’s Sierra Sullivan and Katya Bure, 6-1.
Kentucky’s dominant performance continued in the singles competition, winning all six of the singles points. The Wildcats swept Cincinnati beginning with Lederman’s all-star performance in the No. 4 position. In her career debut, she rolled over Katya Bure, 6-0, in both sets. Shelby Township native, Dieters, won her first set easily, but struggled in the second. Exchanging games, Dieters was able to pull away and win the match over Witte, 6-2, 6-4 in her UK debut. Junior Morin-Kougoucheff showed off her improvement since the fall in her 6-2, 6-1 win over Cincinnati’s Caitlin O’Gara. Sutjiadi clinched the match in her first career win over Poggensee-Wei, beating the sophomore, 7-5, 6-3.
“It feels good,” Sutjiadi said. “It was exciting to play in the No. 1 position. I was nervous at first, but I was able to control my nerves so it feels great.”
Returners Caitlin McGraw who opened the season in the No. 5 position and Stephanie Fox, the No. 6 position both won their singles matches. McGraw and Bellinger battled to the very end, but McGraw came out on top, 6-4, 7-5(7). Fox had little trouble taking down her opponent, Hannah Wille, 6-0 in both sets.
The evening proved to be more difficult for the Wildcats as they took on Ball State. The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, taking the doubles point. Witten and Dieters defeated Bethany Moore and Kristel Saunders, 6-3 in No. 1 doubles while Morin-Kougoucheff and Sutjiadi took care of Toni Ormond and Courtney Earnest, 6-1 in No. 2 doubles and clinched the point. McGraw and Lewis finished the No. 3 doubles with a win over Courtney Wild and Ayaka Terashi, 6-1.
The Wildcats struggled in the singles competition dropping two matches, but they were able to overcome the losses and win the match. Lederman and Dieters both fell in their singles competition, but the stellar play of Sutjiadi, Morin-Kougoucheff and McGraw made up for it. Sutjiadi won her second match of the day in the No. 1 singles position against Wild, 7-6, 6-2. Morin-Kougoucheff kept up her tempo from the morning matches and took down Moore, 6-0, 6-2. McGraw managed to clinch the match point against Toni Ormond, 6-3, 6-2.
“The players are really pushing each other to new heights,” Drada said. “They are willing to do whatever it takes.” Kentucky is now 2-0 in dual matches for the season.
The Wildcats will return to action on Jan. 24 against Tulane at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend in Durham, N.C.
Agate
No. 43 Kentucky 7, Cincinnati 0
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center – Lexington, Ky.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014
Singles (Order of finish: 4, 3,1*, 2,6, 5)
1 – Aldila Sutjiadi def. Kelly Poggensee- Wei 7-5, 6-3
2 – Kelsey Dieters def. Ashleigh Witte, 6-2, 6-4
3 – Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff def. Caitlin O’ Gara, 6-2, 6-1
4 – Taylor Lederman def. Katya Bure, 6-0, 6-0
5 – Caitlin McGraw def. Lauren Bellinger 6-4, 7-5 (7)
6 – Stephanie Fox def. Hannah Wille 6-0, 6-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 1,3*,2)
1 – Kelsey Dieters/ Cece Witten def. Caitlin O’Gara/ Kelly Poggensee- Wei, 6-1
2 – Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff/ Aldila Sutjiadi def. Ashleigh Witte/ Lauren Bellinger, 6-2
3 – Caitlin McGraw/ Kirsten Lewis def. Sierra Sullivan/ Katya Bure, 6-1
Agate
No. 43 Kentucky 4, Ball State 2
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center – Lexington, Ky.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014
Singles (Order of finish: 3, 4, 1, 2, 5*)
1 – Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. Courtney Wild, 7-6, 6-2
2 – Courtney Earnest (BSU) def. Kelsey Dieters (UK), 6-3, 6-3(8)
3 – Edmèe Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) def. Bethany Moore (BSU), 6-0, 6-2
4 – Kristel Saunders (BSU) def. Taylor Lederman (UK), 7-6, 6-1(5)
5 – Caitlin McGraw (UK) def. Toni Ormond (BSU), 6-3, 6-2
6- Stephanie Fox (UK) vs. Ayaka Terashi (BSU), 5-3 DNF
Doubles (Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1)
1 – Kelsey Dieters/ Cece Witten def. Bethany Moore/ Kristel Saunders, 6-3
2 – Edmèe Morin-Kougoucheff/ Aldila Sutjiadi def. Toni Ormond/ Courtney Earnest, 6-1
3 – Caitlin McGraw/ Kirsten Lewis def. Courtney Wild/ Ayaka Terashi, 6-1
