Women's Tennis Falls to Kentucky at SEC Tournament
4/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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The 20th ranked University of Alabama women’s tennis team lost 4-2 to the 14th ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Friday in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn. The Wildcats improved to 21-6 with the win as the Crimson Tide fell to 17-7 on the season.
“Kentucky played very well today,” UA head coach Jenny Mainz said. “We were ready to play today, but they were more aggressive than we were and that was the difference.”
The Wildcats won at the number one and three doubles positions to claim the doubles point. Kentucky was up 7-6 at the number two doubles position before it was stopped due to the doubles point already being clinched.
Bama’s Marie-France Lord-Andrade quickly tied the match score at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kentucky’s Shannon Stafford at number four singles. Kentucky then went up 2-1 as UK’s 75th ranked Nathalie Roels won 6-3, 6-4 over UA’s Sophie Cremers at number two singles. Alabama’s Robin Stephenson tied the match up at 2-2 by defeating Kentucky’s Jill Buckley at number three singles 6-4, 6-2.
Kentucky then picked up wins at number one singles and the number five singles position for the 4-2 victory. Bama’s Nathalie Koppelle was up 5-3 at number six singles before play was stopped as the match was already clinched.
“First, Alabama needs to be congratulated for having one of the best seasons in the country,” UK head coach Mark Guilbeau said. “Like Kentucky, Alabama knows how to bring it up to the next level and that’s what you saw today.”
Alabama (17-7, 6-5 SEC) now waits to see if they will receive a NCAA Tournament bid for the third consecutive season. The NCAA Selection show will be Wednesday, April 30th, at 3:30 p.m.
Results
No. 20 Alabama- 2 No. 14 Kentucky- 4
Doubles
1. No. 11 Trefethen/Witten (UK) def. No. 50 Begovic/Stephenson (UA) 8-5
2. Bradwell/Buckley (UK) vs. Cremers/Bentley (UA) 7-6 DNF
3. Roels/Stafford (UK) def. Koppelle/Natalie McElveen (UA) 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 3
Singles
1. No. 48 Sarah Witten (UK) def. Millie Begovic (UA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
2. No. 75 Nathalie Roels (UK) def. Sophie Cremers (UA) 6-3, 6-4
3. Robin Stephenson (UA) def. Jill Buckley (UK) 6-4, 6-4
4. Marie-France Lord-Andrade (UA) def. Shannon Stafford (UK) 6-1, 6-1
5. Amy Trefethen (UK) def. Ashley Bentley (UA) 6-1, 6-1*
6. Nathalie Koppelle (UA) vs. Shannon Stough (UK) 5-3 DNF
* clinched match
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 5
