Kentucky Comes Up Short Against Arkansas
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 65 Arkansas proved to be too much for the 43rd-ranked Kentucky women’s tennis, which suffered a X-X loss on Sunday afternoon inside the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. Following the loss, the Wildcats fall to 12-5 on the year and 0-4 in Southeastern Conference action. The Razorbacks improve to 10-3 on the season and 3-0 in league play.
Arkansas earned the opening point as the tandem of Fiona Arrese and Lidia Gonzalez dropped a 6-0 decision to the 28th-ranked doubles pair in Tatum Rice and Morgan Cross on the first court. Lenka Stara and Laura Rijkers gave the visiting team the clinch after taking down Ellie Eades and Carla Girbau, 6-2, on court two.
Rice extended the Razorbacks’ lead by claiming the first singles match of the day, besting No. 108 Carlota Molina, 6-2, 6-1, in the first spot. Despite a comeback effort from Gonzalez in the second set, Stara was able to hold on for a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 outcome in the fourth position.
Kelly Keller then made it a 4-0 sweep for Arkansas on the second court after posting a 7-6(4), 7-5 win over Girbau on court two.
Deciding to play out the match, Florencia Urrutia rallied for a 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Indianna Spink on court three to get the Wildcats on the board. Following her singles win, the junior improves to a team-leading 13-1 on the year as an individual.
The Wildcats are back on the road next weekend, first traveling to Baton Rouge to play No. 50 LSU on Friday, March 18 at 12 p.m. ET. Kentucky then heads to the Lone Star State for a noon match with No. 28 Texas A&M in College Station.
No. 65 Arkansas 6, No. 43 Kentucky 1
Singles
1. Tatum Rice (ARK) def. No. 108 Carlota Molina (UK) 6-2, 6-1
2. Kelly Keller (ARK) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 7-6(4), 7-5
3. Florencia Urrutia (UK) def. Indianna Spink (ARK) 6-7(2) 6-4, 6-3
4. Lenka Stara (ARK) def. Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
5. Morgan Cross (ARK) def. Ellie Eades (UK) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9)
6. Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. Maialen Morante (UK) 6-0, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2*, 3, 5, 6
Doubles
1. No. 28 Tatum Rice/Morgan Cross (ARK) def. Fiona Arrese/Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-0
2. Lenka Stara/Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. Ellie Eades/Carla Girbau (UK) 6-2
3. Carlota Molina/Florencia Urrutia (UK) vs. Kelly Keller/Indianna Spink (ARK) Unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2*
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
