April 18, 2014
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 10 seed University of Kentucky women’s tennis team fell, 4-2. To No. 2 seed Vanderbilt, Friday morning in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Southeastern Conference Women’s Tennis Tournament, hosted by the University of Missouri at the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
The doubles competition came down to the wire for Kentucky. Vanderbilt got the early advantage with an 8-0 win at the No. 1 position, however No. 60 Nadia Ravita and Aldila Sutjiadi responded with a win of their own at the No. 2 doubles slot. The duo ended on the high end of a seesaw affair with No. 85 Marie Cesares and Francis Altick, defeating the Commodores, 8-6. With both teams winning a match, the decision came down to junior Edmee Morin-Kougoucheff and sophomore Kirsten Lewis to put the Wildcats ahead and they delivered. In a tiebreak, the tandem defeated Ashleigh Antal and Maggie Leavell, 8-7(8) and clinched the doubles point.
Singles play for Kentucky began much like their singles matchup against Auburn the previous day, with Kentucky down on four of the six courts in the first set. Lewis and junior Kelsey Dieters were the only Wildcats to win the first set, Dieters in a tiebreak and Lewis blanking her opponent, 6-0. Lewis continued to dominate and trounced Maggie Leavell, 6-0, 6-0 to put Kentucky up 2-0. Morin-Kougoucheff fought hard, but wasn’t able to flip her match in the second set. The Capbreton, France native fell 6-3, 6-4 and Vanderbilt cut Kentucky’s lead, 2-1. The Commodores knotted the match behind a 7-6, 6-0 win at court 1.
Both McGraw and Sutjiadi won their second set to force a third and final set. Dieters dropped the second set in a tiebreak and entered into a tiebreaking third set. Sutjiadi battled hard in the deciding set, but couldn’t overcome No. 98 Marie Casares, The freshman lost, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 at the No. 2 singles spot. Down to the last two courts, McGraw began working her way back from a 5-3 deficit, however Lauren Mira clinched the match, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
“We knew that it was going to be a tough match today and definitely had our chances to get the win,” Lewis said. “Moving forward as a team, we will definitely be taking all of the positives from the match today and learn from our experiences as we prepare for the NCAA tournament.”
Kentucky (16-11, 5-8 SEC) now awaits the NCAA Selection Show April 29. The show will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will follow the men’s selection show at 5 p.m. ET.
Tennis Match Results
Kentucky vs Vanderbilt
Apr 18, 2014
Columbia, Mo. (Mizzou Tennis Complex)
#11 Vanderbilt 4, #38 Kentucky 2
Singles competition
1. #54 Frances Altick (VU) def. #60 Nadia Ravita (UK) 7-6 (8-6), 6-0
2. #98 Marie Casares (VU) def. Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
3. #80 Courtney Colton (VU) vs. Kelsey Dieters (UK) 6-7 (5-7), 6-6, 2-1, unfinished
4. Ashleigh Antal (VU) def. Edmee Morin (UK) 6-3, 6-4
5. Lauren Mira (VU) def. Caitlin McGraw (UK) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
6. Kirsten Lewis (UK) def. Maggie Leavell (VU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. #30 Lauren Mira/Courtney Colton (VU) def. #39 CeCe Witten/Caitlin McGraw (UK) 8-0
2. #60 Nadia Ravita/Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. No. 85 Marie Casares/Frances Altick (VU) 8-6
3. Kirsten Lewis/Edmee Morin (UK) def. Ashleigh Antal/Maggie Leavell (VU) 8-7 (10-8)
Match Notes:
Kentucky 16-11; National ranking #38
Vanderbilt 19-5; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,4,1,2,5)
