No. 24 Kentucky Dropped by No. 32 Ole Miss, 4-2, to Wrap Up Regular Season

OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 24 Kentucky men’s tennis team fell to No. 32 Ole Miss, 4-2, to wrap up the regular season on Sunday at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. With the loss, Kentucky drops to 14-11 and 5-7 in the Southeastern Conference while Ole Miss improves to 15-8 and 6-6 in the league. 

“These last 7-8 loses all look alike really,” head coach Cedric Kauffmann said. “There’s no rhyme or reason. The players are putting themselves in position to win matches but at the end of matches we are not pushing through to the finish line. They are looking at the scoreboard and looking at each other to hope they’re not the ones who need to finish. They need to worry about their own court and show some consistency in their play for a period of time. For weeks at a time. I believe we have a very good team, a team that can make a run in the SEC Tournament or the NCAA, but the boys have not shown the consstency of what it takes to win championships. Mentally, strategically or toughness wise. But now, everyone starts a new season and we will have the boys ready.”

Kentucky jumped out in front early with the doubles point. The duo of Gus Benson and Trey Yates were the first winner as the duo of Gus Benson and Trey Yates took down Tim Sandkaulen and Filip Krajevic, 6-1. No. 32 Beck Pennington and Enzo Wallart earned a ranked win and the doubles point for UK as they took down No. 25 Fabian Fallert and Grey Hamilton, 6-3.

Ole Miss punched back with as the top three singles players for the Rebels earned wins. The No. 3 singles court was the first to finish as Beck Pennington fell to Tim Sankaulen, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to tie the match. Shortly after, the Rebels took the lead as Gustav Hasson beat Bushamuka, 6-4, 7-5 to give 

Ole Miss a 2-1 lead. OM grabbed a 3-1 advantage when Ricardo Jorge defeated No. 49 Ryo Matsumura, 6-3, 7-6. 

Kentucky cut the advantage to 3-2 when Trey Yates took down Filip Kraljevic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Yates improved to 11-8 this season. 

The Rebels clinched the victory at 4-2 when Fabian Fallert defeated Enzo Wallart, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3. 

Kentucky will have the week off before beginning the SEC Tournament Wednesday, April 26. The bracket for the tournament will be announced later today.

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

(Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center)

#32 Ole Miss 4, #24 Kentucky 2

1. #25 Gustav Hansson (OM) def. #19 William Bushamuka (UK) 6-4, 7-5

2. Ricardo Jorge (OM) def. #49 Ryotaro Matsumura (UK) 6-3, 7-6

3. Tim Sandkaulen (OM) def. Beck Pennington (UK) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

4. Fabian Fallert (OM) def. Enzo Wallart (UK) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3

5. Trey Yates (UK) def. Filip Kraljevic (OM) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

6. Grey Hamilton (OM) vs. Alex Dominguez (UK) 6-3, 5-7, 3-1, unfinished

1. #32 Beck Pennington/Enzo Wallart (UK) def. #25 Fabian Fallert/Grey Hamilton (OM) 6-3

2. Zvonimir Babic/Ricardo Jorge (OM) vs. William Bushamuka/Nils Ellefsen (UK) 3-5, unfinished

3. Gus Benson/Trey Yates (UK) def. Tim Sandkaulen/Filip Kraljevic (OM) 6-1

Kentucky 14-11, 5-7; National ranking #24

Ole Miss 15-8, 6-6; National ranking #32

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

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