Wildcats End Successful Weekend with 6-1 Defeat of Columbia
NEW YORK, N.Y.-No. 22 Kentucky women’s tennis team improved to 6-1 for the 2016 season after taking down No. 50 Columbia, 6-1. With the loss, the Lions fall to 4-3.
Kentucky continued its dominant doubles showing as of late, taking the first point of the match early. The No. 4 duo of Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi took down the 43rd-ranked pairing of Rima Asatarian and Alexandra Solovyev, 6-4, while Akvile Paražinskaite and Morgan Chumney had a clear win over Kanika Vaidya and Adi Milstein, 6-1.
“We wanted to come out quickly, and we did that,” commented assistant coach Kevin Calhoun. “Akvile and Morgan in particular in No. 2 doubles ran out and won, 6-1, and that gives everybody a jolt when we get a quick win. So we’re really happy with today. Columbia is really, really good. They’re talented, they’re well-coached, and we feel honored to be able to get out of here with a win.”
In singles action, freshman Justine Mikulskyte suffered the first spring season loss of her career, falling to No. 53 Vaidya in matching 7-5 sets in No. 1 singles. The loss was the only one for the Wildcats, and the team dropped just one other set through the remainder of singles play. In No. 2 singles, No. 59 Sutjiadi came away with an extra-game victory over Asatarian, 7-5, before handily sealing the match 6-2 in the second. Morgan Chumney moved into the No. 3 singles spot and took down Star Makarome in 6-4, 7-5 sets.
No. 109 Adachi came away with an upset of No. 81 Solovyev in No. 4 singles, winning the first set 6-4 before dropping a close 7-5 second set. Adachi prevailed in the deciding set, 10-4. In No. 5 singles, Paražinskaite secured another win for the Wildcats with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Andrea Kevakian. Kirsten Lewis completed the lineup in the No. 6 singles spot to remain the lone Wildcat with a flawless record this season, defeating Sarah Hu in matching 6-4 sets.
After playing the first seven matches on the road, Kentucky will finally return to the friendly confines of the Boone Tennis Center, playing host to No. 69 Michigan State and in-state foe Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, Feb. 21. The Wildcats will take on the Spartans at 11 a.m. ET before facing the Colonels at 5 p.m.??
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 and on Facebook.
Final Results
Doubles (Order of finish: 2-1)
1 – No. 4 Mami Adachi/Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. No. 43 Rima Asatarian/Alexandra Solovyev (COL), 6-4
2 – Akvile Paražinskaite/Morgan Chumney (UK) def. Kanika Vaidya/Adi Milstein (COL), 6-1
3 – Justine Mikulskyte/Kirsten Lewis (UK) vs. Star Makarome/Andrea Kevakian (COL), 4-4 abandoned
Singles (Order of finish: 5-2-3-6-4-1)
1 –No. 53 Kanika Vaidya (COL) def. Justine Mikulskytë (UK), 7-5, 7-5
2 –No. 59 Aldila Sutjiadi (UK) def. Rima Asatarian (COL), 7-5, 6-2
3 –Morgan Chumney (UK) def. Star Makarome (COL), 6-4, 7-5
4 – No. 109 Mami Adachi (UK) def. No. 81 Alexandra Solovyev (COL), 6-4, 5-7, 10-4
5 – Akvile Paražinskaite (UK) def. Andrea Kevakian (COL), 6-4, 6-2
6 – Kirsten Lewis (UK) def. Sarah Hu (COL), 6-4, 6-4
