Kentucky Hosts Alabama to Kick Off Final Homestand of 2016
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Coming off the first perfect weekend within Southeastern Conference play, the No. 20 Kentucky women’s tennis team is set to host the final two dual matches of the 2016 regular season, starting with No. 62 Alabama. The Wildcats will square off with the Crimson Tide on Friday at 4 p.m. ET inside the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
Overall, Kentucky is 16-7 on the year (5-6 SEC). Headlining the Wildcat lineup is the duo of Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi, who are ranked as the No. 2 doubles team in the country. Sutjiadi, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, is also ranked in singles, sitting at No. 53 behind a 13-5 record this season, including 6-4 in SEC play. Freshman Justina Mikulskyte also made her way into the ITA rankings at No. 69 after her impressive play at the No. 1 spot and picking up a 12-9 record and 3-8 mark in the SEC.
?Kentucky’s doubles lineup has been instrumental in getting the matches going, as the Wildcats have only dropped three doubles points. Overall, all three primary doubles pairings have lost a combined five out of 41 sets. Adachi and Sutjiadi have posted a 13-2 record (8-0 SEC), while Morgan Chumney and Paražinskaite have a 9-2 (3-1 SEC) record and Nadia Ravita and Mikulskyte hold a 14-1 (7-1) mark.
Friday’s match will be the 40th meeting between the two teams, with Kentucky holding a 26-13 advantage in the all-time series. Alabama is still searching for its first win in conference action, sitting at 0-11 within the league and a 4-15 overall record. The Crimson Tide nearly pulled off an upset of No. 11 South Carolina in its most recent match, but ultimately fell to the Gamecocks, 4-3. Alabama is led by No. 28 Erin Routliffe, who has posted a 4-5 (4-3 SEC) record at the No. 1 spot in singles. Also ranked for the Crimson Tide is No. 42 Andie Daniell playing in the No. 2 spot with a 6-4 (1-4 SEC) mark. The two combine for the team’s top-ranked doubles pairing, ranked No. 55 behind a 5-6 (1-4) record, but the two have not played together for the past five dual matches. Instead, Routliffe has teamed up with Natalia Maynetto to form the No. 78 team in the nation, posting a 1-2 record.
UK athletics marketing, in conjunction with the men’s and women’s tennis programs, is excited to announce the launch of The Wildcat Advantage, Kentucky’s new tennis fan club. Members can accumulate points to trade in and receive prizes by signing in at matches they attend for both the men’s and women’s teams. Members will also be signed up for an email group to receive reminders of upcoming tennis matches. Members of The Wildcat Advantage can earn a point by signing in at each tennis match and can earn additional points for signing friends up for the club. Prizes include The Wildcat Advantage t-shirts, Papa John’s pizza coupons, and exclusive tennis experiences throughout the season.
Live stats for Sunday’s match will be available here.
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.
