Kentucky Women’s Tennis Downs Notre Dame, 4-1, on Friday

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team prevailed in its first road test of the season, defeating Notre Dame in a 4-1 decision on Friday at the Courtney Tennis Center in South Bend, Indiana. 

Following the win, the Wildcats improve to 4-0 on the season while the Fighting Irish start the year at 0-1.

Playing on court three, Fiona Arrese and Florencia Urrutia defeated Maria Olivia Castedo and Yashna Yellayi, 6-1, as the Wildcat duo extended their doubles record to 3-0 for the year. Carla Girbau and Ellie Eades took down Carrie Beckman and Julia Andreach, 6-3, on the second court to secure the doubles point for UK.

Arrese carried the momentum from doubles into singles action, securing the first point for UK after taking down Beckman 6-3, 6-2 on court four. Combined with her victories from opening weekend against ETSU and Miami Ohio, the sophomore now moves to 4-0 on the season in singles. 

Notre Dame then cut its deficit in half as Andreach bested Girbau in a 6-3, 6-3 decision on court two. However, Kentucky extended its lead once again as No. 100 Carlota Molina took down Yellayi 7-5, 6-4 in the third position to put the Wildcats up 3-1. 

Elizabeth Stevens certainly impressed in her first showing of the season by clinching the match for Kentucky on court one. After trailing Freeman 2-6 after the first set, she fought back to win the last two 6-1, 6-2 to give the Wildcats a 4-1 victory. 

Kentucky returns home on Sunday, Jan. 23 for a doubleheader with Southeast Missouri State at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. The first match will begin at 10 a.m. ET with the second match set for 2 p.m.

Kentucky 4, Notre Dame 1

Singles
1. Elizabeth Stevens (UK) def. Page Freeman (Notre Dame) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. Julia Andreach (Notre Dame) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 100 Carlota Molina (UK) def. Yashna Yellayi (Notre Dame) 7-5, 6-4
4. Fiona Arrese (UK) def. Carrie Beckman (Notre Dame) 6-3, 6-2
5. Florencia Urrutia (UK) vs. Meghan Coleman (Notre Dame) Unfinished
6. Ellie Eades (UK) vs. Nibedita Ghosh (Notre Dame) Unfinished 
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1* 

Doubles
1. No. 59 Elizabeth Stevens/Carlota Molina (UK) vs. Page Freeman/Meghan Coleman Unfinished 
2. Carla Girbau/Ellie Eades (UK) def. Carrie Beckman/Julia Andreach (Notre Dame) 6-3
3. Fiona Arrese/Florencia Urrutia (UK) def. Maria Olivia Castedo/Yashna Yellayi (Notre Dame) 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 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.