Doubles Point and Gonzalez’ Win Not Enough in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 49 Kentucky women’s tennis (12-10, 4-6 SEC) traveled to Columbus, Ohio to face No. 8 Ohio State (12-5, 5-0 B1G) for a midweek matchup at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center. The non-conference contest resulted in a 2-4 Wildcat defeat.
After a tough two matches without winning the doubles point, Kentucky was back in the grove earning the point to start the day against the Buckeyes. Ellie Eades and Zoe Hammond were the first pair to secure a victory on Court 3, winning 6-2 against OSU’s Shelly Bereznyak and Akanksha Bhan. The Buckeyes put up a fight winning the point on Court 2 to equalize doubles play where Kentucky’s Makayla Mills and Lidia Gonzalez fell 3-6 to Danielle Willson and Kolie Allen. However, the No. 44-ranked pair of Elizabeth Stevens and Carlota Molina proved to be a dynamic duo defeating No. 19 Irina Cantos Siemers and Sydni Ratliff 6-4 to win the doubles point for the Cats.
Heading into singles play with the 1-0 advantage, Kentucky was ready for the challenge. No. 21 Cantos Siemers was quick on her feet on Court 2 to level up the match with the first point for the Buckeyes. She defeated Eades, 6-2, 6-2. Hammond was next to fall, but not without a strong fight on Court 5. She was overcome by OSU’s Lucia Marzal who won the match 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.
Ohio State’s Willson took down Mills on Court 6 to put the Buckeyes at a 3-1 advantage. She defeated Mills, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Down by two, Kentucky’s Gonzalez rallied to notch the Cats up one to stay in the contest defeating Allen on Court 5. Her tough battle gave UK its second point of the day as she won in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Ohio State then clinched the match with its fourth singles point which took place on Court 1 where No. 33-ranked Ratliff defeated Stevens, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-3.
The Wildcats look to bounce back with a conference win on the road Saturday at Noon EST against Vanderbilt.
Results
Kentucky at Ohio State
#8 Ohio State 4, #49 Kentucky 2
Singles
- #33 Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. Elizabeth Stevens (UK) 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-3
- #21 Irina Cantos Siemers (OSU) def. Ellie Eades (UK) 6-2, 6-2
- #98 Shelly Bereznyak (OSU) vs. Carlota Molina (UK) 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 0-4, unfinished
- Lidia Gonzalez (UK) def. Kolie Allen (OSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
- Lucia Marzal (OSU) def. Zoe Hammond (UK) 7-6 (7-1), 6-4
- Danielle Willson (OSU) def. Makayla Mills (UK) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Doubles
- #44 Elizabeth Stevens/Carlota Molina (UK) def. #19 Irina Cantos Siemers/Sydni Ratliff (OSU) 6-4
- Danielle Willson/Kolie Allen (OSU) def. Makayla Mills/Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-3
- Ellie Eades/Zoe Hammond (UK) def. Shelly Bereznyak/Akanksha Bhan (OSU) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,5,6,4,1)
For the latest on UK Women’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKWomensTennis.
