Women’s Tennis Kicks Off Fall Competition at Notre Dame Invite

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Kentucky women’s tennis began fall play this weekend at the Notre Dame Invite facing three days of competition against Northwestern, DePaul and Notre Dame.

On Friday, the first contest of the 2023 fall match slate, Kentucky began the day by winning the doubles point. The pairs of Lidia Gonzalez and Ellie Eades and Lizzy Stevens and Zoe Hammond came out on top to secure the point for UK against their Northwestern Wildcat opponents.

Following suit in singles action, Kentucky continued to dominate on the court. Gonzalez defeated Northwestern’s Jennifer Riester, 6-2, 6-4, while Hammond took down Britany Lau, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. The match was clinched by Ellie Myers who defeated Elisa Van Meeteran, 6-4, 6-2.

The second day of the Notre Dame Invite featured the Kentucky Wildcats versus the DePaul Blue Demons. Once again, the Cats were a force to reckon with in doubles play as they secured the first point of the day. Stevens and Makayla Mills, as well as Gonzalez and Eades, got the job done.

In singles competition, Kentucky continued its impressive momentum. Gonzalez was victorious yet again on the singles front defeating Elenor Nobbs, 6-4, 7-6 (9), while Eades found her first singles win of the weekend against Yuliya Kizelbasheva, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Hammond continued to come out on top over Greta Carbone, 6-3, 6-3. Both Myers and Maialen Morante were also successful as Myers won 6-1, 6-0 over Emily Casati and Morante secured her first weekend singles victory over Eva Goncharov, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

Sunday’s final day of play was against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The Wildcat pair of Stevens and Mills won in doubles play over Carrie Beckman and Julia Andreach, 6-3. However, it was not enough as Notre Dame clinched the doubles point. The Fighting Irish also were successful in singles play over most Wildcat matchups. However, Eades was victorious over Bojana Pozder, 6-1, 2-6, 10-6, while Morante defeated Maria Olivia Castedo, 7-5, 6-3.

Following this weekend’s tournament, the Cats will then set their sights on ITA Regionals in Knoxville, Tenn. which will be held on Oct. 19-23.

Full Results:

Day 1 – UK vs. Northwestern

Doubles:

1. Gonzalez/Eades def. Shusharina/Feldman 6-2
2. Stevens/Hammond def. Lau/Riester 7-5
3. K. Rabjohns/Van Meeteren def. Mills/Morante 6-3

Singles:

1. Shusharina def. Eades 6-7(0), 6-1, 6-4
2. Gonzalez def. Riester 6-2, 6-4
3. Hammond def. Lau 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
4. K. Rabjohns def. Mills 6-1, 6-2
5. Pratt def. Morante 6-1, 6-4
6. Myers def. Van Meeteren 6-4, 6-2

Day 2 – UK vs. DePaul

Doubles:

1. Stevens/Mills def. Kizelbasheva/Casati, 6-3
2. Gonzalez/Eades def. Carbone/Smith, 6-3
3. Nobbs/Goncharov def. Hammond/Myers, 7(6)-6

Singles:

1. Gonzalez def. Nobbs 6-4, 7-6(9)
2. Eades def. Kizelbasheva 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. Hammond def. Carbone 6-3, 6-3
4. Smith def. Mills 7-5, 6-0
5. Myers def. Casati 6-1, 6-0
6. Morante def. Goncharov 7-5, 5-7, 6-2

Day 3 – UK vs. Notre Dame

Doubles:

1. Stevens/Mills def. Beckman/Andreach, 6-3
2. Pozder/Castedo def. Eades/Gonzalez, 6-3
3. Ghosh/Matsuno def. Hammond/Morante, 6-4

Singles:

1. Andreach def. Gonzalez 6-2, 3-6, 10-5
2. Eades def. Pozder 6-1, 2-6, 10-6
3. Beckman def. Hammond 3-6, 7-5, 10-4
4. Matsuno def. Mills 6-3, 6-2
5. Ghosh def. Myers 6-4, 6-4
6. Morante def. Castedo 7-5, 6-3

For the latest on UK Women’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on X. Instagram and Facebook at @UKWomensTennis.