Feb. 22, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 39 University of Kentucky women’s tennis team bounced back from a loss at Indiana with a win over No. 60 Kansas, Saturday at the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center. Kentucky downed the Jayhawks, 4-0, in the finale to its non-conference play.
“We got really physical this week at practice and went back to basics with being tough with our discipline, our decisions and the way that we construct points,” Kentucky assistant coach Kevin Calhoun said. “The girls know that when they’re physical, they play better. That it’s something they needed to do to get better and it showed today.”
In the doubles competition, senior duo Caitlin McGraw and Cece Witten battled back in the No. 1 singles position to give Kentucky their first win of the match. Down early, the tandem was able to tie the match at four all. Exchanging games and the lead, they entered the tiebreaker and won 8-7(2).
Junior Kelsey Dieters and freshman Aldila Sutjiadi clinched the doubles point at the No. 2 doubles slot in a thrilling tiebreak. The twosome would get ahead, but Kansas bounced back and tied it each time. The match was decided by a tiebreak where the pair won, 8-7 (4) and put Kentucky up, 1-0.
“The crowd definitely pumped us up,” Sutjiadi said. “Our points were going back and forth so having the crowd’s support really helped. I also think that we played with confidence. We hit the ball well today.”
In singles play, Ravita had little struggle taking down Marie Jose Cardona. Expanding Kentucky’s lead, 2-0, Ravita polished off Cardona, 6-2, 6-1. Sutjiadi followed with a 6-2, 6-1 win at the No. 2 singles position, taking down Dylan Windom. Sutjiadi’s win gave the Cats a 3-0 lead and match point. Dieters clinched the match for Kentucky behind her 6-2, 6-1 win in the No. 3 singles slot.
“I felt really positive after the doubles point, so I tried to stay positive in my singles match too and came out on top,” Dieters said. “We had a really strong week at practice, focusing on patterns and I think it paid off in our match.”
Kentucky is now 10-2 entering conference play with their first test coming against No. 56 LSU, Friday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. ET.
Agate
No. 38 Kentucky 4, Kansas 0
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center – Lexington, Ky.
Friday, Feb. 22, 2014
Singles (Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*)
1 – Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Maria Jose Cardona (KU), 6-2, 6-1
2 – Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. Dylan Windom (KU), 6-2, 6-1
3 – Kelsey Dieters (UK) def. Maria Belen Luduena, 6-2, 6-1
4 – Kirsten Lewis (UK) vs. Paulina Los (KU), 7-5, 4-2 DNF
5 – Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff (UK) vs. Claire Dreyer (KU), 1-0 DNF
6 – Caitlin McGraw (UK) vs. Caroline Henderson (KU), DNP
Doubles (Order of finish: 3, 1, 2*)
1 – Caitlin McGraw/ Cece Witten (UK) def. Dylan Windom/ Paulina Los (KU), 8-7(2)
2 – Kelsey Dieters/ Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. Maria Jose Cardona/ Maria Belen Luduena, 8-7 (4)
3 – Claire Dreyer/ Morgan Barnhill (KU) def. Edmée Morin-Kougoucheff / Kirsten Lewis (UK), 8-3
