Kentucky Men’s Tennis Falls to Texas A&M, 4-3

COLLEGE
STATION, Texas. – The match came down to the final singles court, but the
Kentucky men’s tennis team was unable to defeat No. 12 Texas A&M as UK
fell, 4-3, at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center on Sunday. Kentucky dropped
to 11-6 and 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference, while Texas A&M improved to
9-3 and 4-0 in the league.

Kentucky jumped
out in front early as the Cats grabbed the doubles point. The duo of sophomore
Will Bushamuka and senior Nils Ellefsen earned the advantage in the battle for
the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Aleksandre Bakshi and Hady Habib. Senior
Beck Pennington and sophomore Enzo Wallart clinched the doubles point and gave
UK a 1-0 advantage with a 6-4 win over Arthur Rinderknech and  Max Lunkin. Sophomore Ryo Matsumura and
junior Trey Yates were down, 5-4, when doubles play concluded.

Pennington
was the first to finish once again, and he earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over
Aleksandre Bakshi to put the Cats up 2-0.

Texas
A&M responded with three-straight points to take a 3-2 lead. Habib defeated
Wallart, 6-4, 6-3 to put the Aggies on the board. Valentin Vacherot tied the
match at 2-2 when he defeated Yates, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. TAMU posted a 3-2 advantage
when Matsumura fell to AJ Catanzariti, 7-5, 7-5.

Bushamuka
even the match at 3-3 with a win over No. 8 Arthur Rinderknech, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6
(7-3). The Aggies clinched the win Jordi Arconada defeated Ellefsen in a hard fought
6-3, 4-6, 7-5 match.

Kentucky
will return home on Thursday, March 18 at 6 p.m. against Auburn to continue SEC
play.

For more information on the Kentucky men’s
tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on
Twitter or Kentucky Men’s Tennis Team on
Facebook. 

Kentucky vs Texas A&M

Mar 12, 2017 at College Station, TX

(George P Mitchell Tennis Center)

#12 Texas A&M 4, #18 Kentucky 3

Singles competition

1. #28
William Bushamuka (UK) def. #8 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3)

2. AJ
Catanzariti (TAMU) def. #25 Ryotaro Matsumura (UK) 7-5, 7-5

3. Beck
Pennington (UK) def. Aleksandre Bakshi (TAMU) 6-3, 6-4

4. #115
Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. #75 Nils Ellefsen (UK) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5

5. Valentin
Vacherot (TAMU) def. Trey Yates (UK) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2

6. Hady
Habib (TAMU) def. Enzo Wallart (UK) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. #70 Beck
Pennington/Enzo Wallart (UK) def. #22 Arthur Rinderknech/Max Lunkin (TAMU) 6-4

2. William
Bushamuka/Nils Ellefsen (UK) def. Aleksandre Bakshi/Hady Habib (TAMU) 6-3

3. Jordi
Arconada/AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) vs. Ryotaro Matsumura/Trey Yates (UK) 5-4,
unfinished

Match Notes:

Kentucky
11-6, 2-2; National ranking #18

Texas
A&M 9-3, 4-0; National ranking #12

Order of
finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,6,2,5,1,4)

T-2:48