No. 21 Kentucky Sweeps Bellarmine 7-0

LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 21 Kentucky (4-0) continued its hot start to the season with a 7-0 win over Bellarmine (0-3) on Wednesday at Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
 
The Wildcats were led once again on the singles court by No. 45 Liam Draxl, while fellow sophomore Gabriel Diallo was credited with the match-clinching point for the second time this season.
 
Wednesday also featured four Cats who recorded their first career victories in a collegiate dual match.
 
Despite falling in a tiebreaker on the first court, Kentucky won two of three doubles bouts and began singles play with a 1-0 lead. Draxl wasted no time seizing the first singles opportunity, dropping just a single game in a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Cole Groetsch in the top matchup.
 
After No. 114 Alexandre LeBlanc followed Draxl with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Paul Reynolds from the fourth slot, Diallo secured the contest for his team with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Emil B. Berglund on court No. 2.
 
Freshman No. 123 Joshua Lapadat made his spring debut with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Evan Bottorff on court three, while Jonathan Sorbo and Heman Nama earned their first wins since last fall from the fifth and sixth spots.
 
Freshman Tate Sandman earned his first win of the spring, as well, teaming up with Lapadat for a 6-2 triumph over Berglund and Eli Franks during doubles competition.
 
Kentucky’s next match will be its first against an opponent from a Power Five conference, hosting Notre Dame (4-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.
 
 
#21 Kentucky 7, Bellarmine 0
 
Singles
1.#45 Liam Draxl (UK) def. Cole Groetsch (BU) 6-0, 6-1
2.Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. Emil B. Berglund (BU) 6-4, 6-2
3.#123 Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. Evan Bottorff (BU) 6-2, 6-3
4.#114 Alexandre LeBlanc (UK) def. Paul Reynolds (BU) 6-3, 6-1
5.Jonathan Sorbo (UK) def. Ian Deiters (BU) 6-0, 6-0
6.Heman Nama (UK) def. Eli Franks (BU) 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles
1.Evan Bottorff/Cole Groetsch (BU) def. Liam Draxl/Alexandre LeBlanc (UK) 7-6 (7-4)
2.Gabriel Diallo/Ying-Ze Chen (UK) def. Ian Deiters/Paul Reynolds (BU) 6-1
3.Tate Sandman/Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. Emil B. Berglund/Eli Franks (BU) 6-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,4,2,3,5,6)