No. 45 Kentucky Sweeps Doubleheader Over EKU
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 45 Kentucky (10-7, 2-4 SEC) took two matches from Eastern Kentucky (4-13, 0-2 ASUN) on Tuesday afternoon, notching two sweeps on its way to victory. The two teams elected to play singles first, meaning the dominant performances by Kentucky kept the doubles teams off the court in both matches. The win brought Kentucky’s win streak to three, setting a new season high. In the second match, the Wildcats recorded five sets with a 6-0 score line, also a new season high.
During the match, the ITA released its weekly rankings, where the Wildcats saw several gains. As a team, Kentucky moved up twenty-three spots following Sunday’s win at Florida, setting a new season-high ranking at 45. In singles, Florencia Urrutia continued her climb, claiming a personal best ranking of 48. The Wildcats also saw their top doubles team claim a ranking for the first time this season, as Elizabeth Stevens and Carlota Molina debuted at No. 63.
Match 1 was played indoors, where the Cats raced out to the first set on three of four courts. Molina, the clincher from historic win at Florida, capitalized on her recent momentum, claiming the last 12 games of the match to claim the match’s opening point at No. 3 singles.
Ellie Eades followed her teammate up with a straight-set victory, winning 6-4, 6-4 to claim her first career win at No. 2 singles.
Stevens rebounded from a second-set lull to find the match’s first three-set victory. Up 6-2, 5-2, she dropped the final five games of the set to Masha Fedenko. In the decider, Stevens raced out to a 5-0 lead before putting the match away and placing her team one point from victory.
Makayla Mills clinched the match for the Wildcats, coming back from a set down to win 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 at No. 4 singles. The win marked her first victory since January 26.
The final two singles matches were abandoned, with Maialen Morante and Zoe Hammond holding substantial leads on both courts.
Following a break, the two teams moved outdoors and faced off once again. It marked the first time the Wildcats have played outdoors at Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center this season. Kentucky continued its stellar play, racing to leads over the Colonels on all six courts.
Mills was the first Wildcat to finish her day, not dropping a game on her way to a 6-0, 6-0 triumph on Court Six.
Lidia Gonzalez, playing in her first match of the day, was not far behind her teammate, notching a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 5 singles.
In her first match as a newly christened top-50 player, No. 48 Urrutia defended her ranking in a major way, storming to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the top flight.
Eades clinched the match at the second singles spot, claiming the third 6-1, 6-0 win for the Wildcats on the day. In total, the back end of the doubleheader was finished in a blistering 55 minutes.
Kentucky returns to the road this weekend, heading out west for road matches against Missouri and No. 65 Arkansas. On Friday, March 24, the Cats and the Tigers will square off at 3:00 p.m. in Columbia. Then, the Wildcats will travel south to Fayetteville for a matchup with the Razorbacks at Noon EST on Sunday, March 26. Fans can follow along with both matches via live stream and live stats.
RESULTS
Kentucky vs. Eastern Kentucky (First Match)
Doubles
No. 63 Stevens/Molina (UK) vs. Fedenko/Parkhomenko (EKU) uf
Gonzalez/Urrutia (UK) vs. Hernandez/Tairian (EKU) uf
Hammond/Eades (UK) vs. Hill/Polevoi (EKU) uf
Singles
Elizabeth Stevens (UK) def. Fedenko (EKU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
Ellie Eades (UK) def. Sasha Parkhomenko (EKU) 6-4, 6-4
Carlota Molina (UK) def. Elena Tairian (EKU) 6-1, 6-0
Makayla Mills (UK) def. Emmeline Polevoi (EKU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
Maialen Morante (UK) vs. Daniela Hernandez (EKU) 6-2, 1-0 (uf)
Zoe Hammond (UK) vs. Mariia Triska (EKU) 4-0 (uf)
Order of Finish:
Doubles— n/a
Singles— 3, 2, 1, 4
Kentucky vs. Eastern Kentucky (Second Match)
Doubles
No. 63 Stevens/Molina (UK) vs. Fedenko/Parkhomenko (EKU) uf
Gonzalez/Urrutia (UK) vs. Hernandez/Tairian (EKU) uf
Hammond/Eades (UK) vs. Hill/Polevoi (EKU) uf
Singles
No. 48 Florencia Urrutia (UK) def. Fedenko (EKU) 6-1, 6-0
Ellie Eades (UK) def. Sasha Parkhomenko (EKU) 6-1, 6-0
Elizabeth Stevens (UK) vs. Elena Tairian (EKU) 6-3, 0-0
Carlota Molina (UK) def. Emmeline Polevoi (EKU) 6-1, 4-0
Lidia Gonzalez (UK) vs. Daniela Hernandez (EKU) 6-1, 6-0
Makayla Mills (UK) vs. Mariia Triska (EKU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish:
Doubles— n/a
Singles— 6, 5, 1, 2
For the latest on UK Women’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKWomensTennis.
