No. 17 Wildcats Blank Missouri to Win Fourth-Straight Road Match
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 17 Kentucky women’s tennis team ended the weekend with a bang, blanking Missouri on their home turf on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats move to 11-3 overall, including a 3-1 mark in SEC play. The Tigers fall to 11-6, 0-3 SEC.
Kentucky has now won eight of its last nine matches, including four straight road wins.
“I am proud of our team,” said Kentucky head coach Carlos Drada. “Our players continue to compete with a big heart and strong court awareness. I am grateful for everyone’s commitment to our team goals.”
Despite dropping the first doubles match on court two, Justina Mikulskyté and Diana Tkachenko teamed on court three to take a 6-4 victory and get Kentucky half of the way there. After being knotted at 5-5, seniors Mami Adachi and Emily Fanning rallied on court one to take a 7-5 win and take the first point of the match.
The Wildcats got out to a quick start in singles as Adachi and Tkacehnko each earned matching 6-0, 6-2 wins on courts four and three, respectively.
Mikulskyté clinched the 4-0 victory for Kentucky with a gritty 7-6 (2), 6-3 triumph over Serena Nash in No. 1 singles.
Kentucky will continue its road swing next weekend, traveling to Ole Miss on Thursday and Mississippi State on Saturday. First serve in both matches is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Agate
#17 Kentucky 4, Missouri 0
Columbia, Mo. – Mizzou Tennis Complex
March 11, 2018
Singles (Order of Finish: 3-4-1)
1 – #122 Justina Mikulskyté (UK) def. Serena Nash (MIZ), 7-6 (2), 6-3
2 – Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) vs. Emily Fanning (UK), 7-6 (3), 4-3, unfinished
3 – Mami Adachi (UK) def. Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-0, 6-2
4 – Diana Tkachenko (UK) def. Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 6-0, 6-2
5 – Lesedi Jacobs (UK) vs. Amina Ismail (MIZ), 6-3, unfinished
6 – Clare Raley (MIZ) vs. Brianna Tulloch (UK), 3-2, unfinished
Doubles (Order of Finish: 2-3-1)
1 – #20 Mami Adachi/Emily Fanning (UK) def. Marta Oliveira/Clare Raley (MIZ), 7-5
2 – Amina Ismail/Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Lesedi Jacobs/Brianna Tulloch (UK), 6-1
3 – Justina Mikulskyté/Diana Tkachenko (UK) def. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-4
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/UKWomensTennis and on the web at UKathletics.com.
