UK Advances to ITA National Championships with Upset Win
Jan. 25, 2015
Evanston, Ill. – The No. 44 University of Kentucky women’s tennis team advanced to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Indoor Championships with a 4-2 comeback win over No. 32 Arizona State Sunday.
The Wildcats improve to 4-1 with their second upset victory in as many days at the ITA Kickoff Weekend, after a 4-0 win over No. 21 Rice Saturday at Northwestern’s Combe Tennis Center. UK advances to the ITA National Indoor Championships for the first time since 2005, when Kentucky went all the way to the championship match.
“This victory goes to the team and to our coaching staff,” head coach Carlos Drada said. “Our players did a great job of competing for every point today and the entire weekend. We are grateful to be back in the prestigious ITA tournament and we look forward to the great opportunities it will present us.”
Sunday’s win came in comeback fashion, after UK lost the doubles point and lost four of the six first-set singles contests. Kentucky stormed back though and claimed second-set victories on five courts, including two that resulted in Wildcat wins to give them a 2-1 lead.
Aldila Sutjiadi gave UK its first point with a 6-4, 6-2 win on court No. 2 over Stephanie Vlad. Mami Adachi finished soon after with a 7-6 (2), 6-0 win on court No. 4 against Ebony Panoho that put Kentucky ahead for the first time in the match.
Taylor Lederman responded to a 6-3 first-set loss with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Alexandra Osborne on the sixth court to put the Wildcats ahead 3-1.
“I am so happy to get a win today and contribute to a total team win,” Lederman said. “I am looking forward to seeing what we can all accomplish in Virginia.”
After Kelsey Dieters suffered a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 loss on court No. 3 to Kassidy Jump, Nadia Ravita clinched the win for Kentucky. On court No. 1, Ravita recorded a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Desirae Krawczyk to send the Wildcats to the National Championships for the first time since 2005.
“It was a tough match,” Ravita said. “I tried my best and just kept playing hard because I didn’t want to let my teammates down after they had helped pull us ahead in their singles matches.”
Kentucky returns to action on Jan. 31 when it hosts Penn State in Lexington. First serve is set for Noon, ET at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
No. 44 Kentucky 4, No. 32 Arizona State 2
Combe Tennis Center – Evanston, Ill.
January 25, 2014
Doubles (Order of finish: 3, 1*)
1- Krawczyk/Vlad (ASU) def. Ravita/Sutjiadi (UK) 6-1
2- Jump/Smith (ASU) vs. Dieters/Adachi (UK) 5-3 (unfinished)
3- Panoho/Osborne (ASU) def. Morin-Kougoucheff/Lewis (UK) 6-1
Singles (Order of finish: 2, 4, 6, 3, 1*)
1- Nadia Ravita (UK) def. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2- Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) 6-4, 6-2
3- Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Kelsey Dieters (UK) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
4- Mami Adachi (UK) def. Ebony Panoho (ASU) 7-6 (2) 6-0
5- Kirsten Lewis (UK) vs. Joanna Smith (ASU), 5-7 (4), 6-4, 4-2 (unfinished)
6- Taylor Lederman (UK) def. Alexandra Osborne (ASU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the Kentucky women’s tennis team and all 22 varsity sports. For additional info, notes and behind-the-scenes updates, follow the team on Twitter at @UKWomensTennis.
Ticket punched! Cats to national indoors!!! pic.twitter.com/q7eiM9kI52
— UK Women’s Tennis (@UKWomensTennis) January 25, 2015
