Women’s Tennis Swept by South Carolina in Friday Matchup
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s tennis (8-11, 2-8 SEC) fell to No. 17 South Carolina (15-5, 7-4 SEC) on Friday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center, 4-0.
The Wildcats battled through both doubles and singles play but struggled to get a point on the scoreboard.
Beginning the evening with doubles play, South Carolina claimed the point to have a 1-0 advantage. Court 1 was the first to finish as Kentucky’s tandem of No. 44-ranked Makayla Mills and Elizabeth Stevens fell to No. 23 Ayana Akli and Sarah Hamner, 1-6. Court 3 clinched the point as Misa Malkin and Olympe Lancelot defeated Julia Zhu and Ellie Myers, 6-0. The Court 2 matchup of Ellie Eades and Zoe Hammond versus Shahar Biran and Elise Mills was left unfinished with the score sitting at 4-1 UK.
In singles competition, the Cats were unable to secure a point despite great effort. Court 4 was the first to finish, putting the Gamecocks up 2-0. Elise Mills (SC) defeated Julia Zhu in two sets, 6-6 (7-5), 6-3. No. 12-ranked Hamner was the next to secure a point for South Carolina over Stevens. Despite winning the first set 6-3, Stevens then fell 3-6, 1-6 in the remaining two sets of play. A Gamecock win on Court 1 clinched the match for USC as No. 6 in the country, Akli defeated Hammond in three sets. Like Stevens, Hammond was victorious in the first set, 6-4. However, she fell to Akli in the remaining two, 4-6, 3-6.
The Wildcats will be back at Boone Tennis Center on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. EST to close the spring homestand and celebrate Kentucky’s two seniors, Makayla Mills and Maialen Morante, against No. 13 Florida for Senior Day.
RESULTS
Kentucky vs. South Carolina
UK 0, SC 4
Doubles
No. 23 Ayana Akli and Sarah Hamner (SC) def. No. 44 Makayla Mills and Elizabeth Stevens (UK) 6-1
Ellie Eades and Zoe Hammond (UK) vs. Shahar Biran and Elise Mills (SC) 4-1 uf
Misa Malkin and Olympe Lancelot (SC) def. Ellie Myers and Julia Zhu (UK) 6-0
Singles
No. 6 Ayana Akli (SC) def. Zoe Hammond (UK) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 12 Sarah Hamner (SC) def. Elizabeth Stevens (UK) 3-6 6-3 6-1
Ellie Eades (UK) vs. Shahar Biran (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 2-4 uf
Elise Mills (SC) def. Julia Zhu (UK) 6-6 (7-5), 6-3
Misa Malkin (SC) vs. Ellie Myers (UK)
Olympe Lancelot (SC) vs. Makayla Mills (UK)
Order of Finish:
Doubles— 1,3
Singles— 4,2,1
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