Mississippi State
Kentucky
Lady Bulldog Netters Fall To #23 Wildcats, 5-1, In Tough Match
March 28, 2008 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. ? After being delayed for more than an hour due to an early rain shower, Mississippi State's women's tennis team fought hard but ultimately fell to 23rd-ranked Kentucky, 5-1, Friday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. Due to weather concerns, singles was played first in the affair.
State dropped to 7-8 overall and 0-7 in SEC play with the loss. Kentucky moved to 13-5 and 4-3 on the season.
After the Wildcats posted an early 2-0 lead with straight-set wins at two positions, State extended the match with four three-set singles contests to keep the things tight. UK, however, would ultimately claim three of those four fierce battles to secure the victory.
UK grabbed the early lead with strong 6-2, 6-2 and 6-2, 6-1 victories at No. 2 and 5 singles, respectively. At No. 2, 88th-ranked Sarah Woestmann defeated MSU's Renee Joseph and at No. 5 Alaina Trgovich downed Lady Bulldogs DeAndra Saddler.
Much later on in the contest, UK went up 3-0 when Megan Broderick provided a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 comeback win over State's Martina Banikova at the No. 1 spot in the lineup. The match-clincher would then come at the No. 4 spot, where UK's Christine Johnston outlasted State's Radka Ferancova 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
In the remaining matches, State's Valeriya Makarycheva battled back from dropping her first set with Whitney Spencer to win 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-5. In the final match of the day, UK's Carolina Escamilla edged State's Elna de Villiers in three sets, 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-5.
Doubles matches were not played after the match had been clinched in singles.
Mississippi State now prepares for Sunday's home matchup with #11 Vanderbilt. That contest is slated for a 1 p.m. start at the Pitts Tennis Centre.
#23 KENTUCKY 5, #63 MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
March 28, 2008 ? Starkville, Miss.
SINGLES ? Megan Broderick (UK) def. Martina Banikova (MSU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; #83 Sarah Woestmann (UK) def. Renee Joseph (MSU) 6-2, 6-2; Carolina Escamilla (UK) def. Elna de Villiers (MSU) 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-5; Christine Johnston (UK) def. Radka Ferancova (MSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Alaina Trgovich (UK) def. DeAndra Saddler (MSU) 6-2, 6-1; Valeriya Makarycheva (MSU) def. Whitney Spencer (UK) 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-5.
DOUBLES ? Not contested.
(numbers preceding names are current national rankings
Players Mentioned
