Wildcats Take on No. 12 Auburn for Senior Day
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Riding a three-match win streak and looking to end the regular season on a high note, the No. 20 Kentucky women’s tennis team will take on No. 12 Auburn on Sunday afternoon. First serve against the Tigers is slated for 11 a.m. ET, with Senior Day ceremonies honoring Kate Lanier, Kirsten Lewis and Nadia Ravita beginning at 10:30 at Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
Overall, Kentucky is 17-7 on the year (6-6 SEC) and is in position to have a winning record in the SEC for the first time since 2007. 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 14-5 record this season, including 7-4 in SEC play. The junior showcased why she was selected as the league’s top player last week in yesterday’s 4-3 win over Alabama, coming out victorious in a three-set upset of No. 42 Andie Daniell, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Freshman Justina Mikulskyte also made her way into the ITA rankings at No. 69 after her impressive play at the No. 1 spot.
?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 43 sets. Adachi and Sutjiadi have posted a 14-2 record (9-0 SEC), while Morgan Chumney and Paražinskaite have a 9-2 (3-1 SEC) record and Nadia Ravita and Mikulskyte hold a 15-1 (8-1) mark.
Sunday’s match will be the 45th meeting between Kentucky and Auburn, with UK holding a 23-11 advantage in the all-time series. Last year, the Wildcats dropped a 4-1 decision in Auburn on March 29. The Tigers currently sit at fifth in the SEC behind an 8-4 league record and a 20-6 mark overall. Auburn has dropped its last two matches to tough opponents, falling to No. 4 Florida, 4-0, and No. 6 Vanderbilt, 4-3. Andie Dikosavlievic is Auburn’s top-ranked player, coming in at No. 25 in the nation behind a 7-5 (4-4 SEC) record at the No. 1 spot. The Tigers have two more ranked in the ITA top 100, with Alizee Michaud holding down the No. 38 ranking and Pleun Burgmans ranked No. 94. Michaud and Burgmans combine to form the Tigers’ 17th-ranked doubles team, which has gone 8-3 during conference play.
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.
