Women’s Tennis Knocks Off Missouri, 4-0

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s tennis (8-9, 2-6 SEC) swept past an undermanned Missouri (4-16, 0-8 SEC) side, winning 4-0 on Friday evening at the Boone Tennis Center. The victory gives the Wildcats its second win in Southeastern Conference play and improves the team to 8-2 at home this season.

Missouri was left with just four available players for Friday’s contest, meaning the Tigers were forced to default at third doubles as well as fifth and sixth singles. Needing just one doubles win to secure the first session, Kentucky’s second pair of Zoe Hammond and Ellie Eades got the job done with a 6-2 result over Mizzou’s Emelie Schwarte and Andrea Artimedi.

With Missouri unable to compete at fifth and sixth singles, the home team would take a 3-0 lead into the start of singles action.

Freshman Julia Zhu grabbed the lone singles point required for UK, blasting past Sophia McLellan, 6-0, 6-0 at fourth singles to clinch the match. Zhu, who was playing at her highest position in the lineup thus far this season, improved her singles record to 11-3 on the year.

Kentucky’s Elizabeth Stevens, Zoe Hammond and Ellie Eades had all won their first sets at the time the match was clinched.

The Cats are back at the Boone Tennis Center on Sunday to take on Arkansas at 1 p.m. Admission is free to the public. Free pizza will also be available while supplies last.

RESULTS

Kentucky vs. Missouri

Doubles

No. 63 Mills/Stevens (UK) vs. Schwarte/Artimedi (MIZ): 5-4 (uf)

Hammond/Eades (UK) def. Cardenas Rifka/McLellan (MIZ): 6-2

Morante/Zhu (UK) def. Missouri (default)

Singles

Elizabeth Stevens (UK) vs. Emelie Schwarte (MIZ): 6-2, 3-0 (uf)

Zoe Hammond (UK) vs. Romary Cardenas (MIZ): 6-3, 2-0 (uf)

Ellie Eades (UK) vs. Andrea Artimedi (MIZ): 6-4 (uf)

Julia Zhu (UK) def. Sophia McLellan (MIZ): 6-0, 6-0

Ellie Myers (UK) def. Missouri (default)

Maialen Morante (UK) def. Missouri (default)

Order of Finish:

Doubles—2

Singles— 4*

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