Wildcats Top Crimson Tide, 4-1
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team continued its 11-match homestand Friday, defeating Alabama in a 4-1 decision at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The Wildcats improved to 9-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
Kentucky hasn’t dropped the doubles point all season, earning their 10th straight in the match against the Alabama. Meanwhile, UK owns an impressive 20-2 doubles record in 2021.
No. 57 Lesedi Jacobs and Anastasia Tkachenko recorded the first triumph of the afternoon, defeating their opponents in a clean 6-0 clash on the third court. Alabama rallied past Elizabeth Stevens and Carla Girbau in a 6-3 battle on the second court. It was Akvile Paražinskaite and Fiona Arrese that shined down the stretch, as the duo came back from a 2-4 deficit to earn a 7-6 (4) triumph on the first doubles court.
Paražinskaite and Arrese own an unblemished 7-0 record on the No. 1 doubles court this season, including a 2-0 mark in the conference.
Paražinskaite brought the same speed to the singles competition, as the graduate student defeated Bama’s Moka Ito in a 7-5, 6-2 outcome on the first court, giving Kentucky a 2-0 advantage in the contest. The Lithuania native is undefeated this season, owning a 7-0 record on the No. 1 doubles court and a remarkable 10-0 record on the No. 1 singles court, leading her team in both categories.
After that, Jacobs rallied in a 6-4, 6-3 mark over Bama’s Anna Parkhomenko on the third court. The Crimson Tide earned a singles win on the fourth court, as Alba Cortina Pou defeated Elizabeth Stevens, just a freshman, in a 7-6 (5), 6-4 battle.
Carlota Molina clinched the dual match moments later, however, earning a relentless 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 test over Bama’s Sasha Gorchanyuk on the second court. The sophomore improved to an 8-1 singles record this season, with all of her matches coming on the second court.
The Wildcats own a 49-9 singles record this season.
In its next appearance, Kentucky will host No. 21 Auburn on Sunday, Feb. 28 for an 11 a.m. ET first serve inside the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
Kentucky 4, Alabama 1
February 26, 2021
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
Singles competition
1. Akvile Parazinskaite (UK) def. Moka Ito (UA) 7-5, 6-2
2. Carlota Molina (UK) def. Sasha Gorchanyuk (UA) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
3. Lesedi Jacobs (UK) def. Anna Parkhomenko (UA) 6-4, 6-3
4. Alba Cortina Pou (UA) def. Elizabeth Stevens (UK) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
5. Carla Girbau (UK) vs. Anne Marie Hiser (UA) 1-4, unfinished
6. Salsa Aher (UK) vs. Sydney Riley (UA) 1-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Akvile Parazinskaite/Fiona Arrese (UK) def. Moka Ito/Sasha Gorchanyuk (UA) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Anne Marie Hiser/Sydney Riley (UA) def. Elizabeth Stevens/Carla Girbau (UK) 6-3
3. #57 Lesedi Jacobs/Anastasia Tkachenko (UK) def. Alba Cortina Pou/Anna Parkhomenko (UA) 6-0
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
