Alabama Women?s Tennis Falls in Quarters to Kentucky
4/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. ?? Alabama’s women’s tennis team came up short Friday night in a 4-1 loss to No. 3-seed Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tennis Championships.
“I felt like we competed hard,” Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. “Despite the loss we still have a lot to be proud of a lot still left to play for heading into the NCAA Tournament.”
??Bama fell behind early by losing the doubles point to Kentucky as the Wildcats won at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles and then found itself behind on four of six singles courts. However, shortly after the start of singles a weather delay halted play for three hours, but according to Mainz it allowed the team to gather itself.
“I thought we came back in singles after the delay and really got ourselves back into the match,” Mainz said.
Mari Muller and Shelley Godwin each clawed their way back into their matches at Nos. 3 and 5 singles respectively after dropping quick opening sets. With Robin Stephenson cruising on court 1 and Ashley Bentley leading on court 2, Muller and Godwin gave the Tide a chance to come back and win. Stephenson would eventually record a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles.
Godwin stormed back to even her match with a 6-2 second-set win and was on-serve at 2-2 in the third set when the match was stopped. Muller was able to force a second-set tiebreaker at No. 3 but came up just short to Joelle Schwenk.
“We had some opportunities but just weren’t able to convert when we need it,” Mainz said. “The difference really was doubles. I feel as though we can win three singles matches on anyone, but it’s always hard to take four singles matches against a good team. Kentucky did a nice job today.”
The loss doesn’t mark the end of the season for the Tide. Alabama will now await word from the NCAA Selection Committee on May 3 on where it will play in the NCAA Regionals.
Kentucky 4, Alabama 1
Singles
Robin Stephenson (UA) def. Kim Coventry (UK), 6-1, 6-0
Ashley Bentley (UA) vs. Lara Maurer (UK), 7-6, 3-2
Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Mari Muller (UA), 6-1, 7-6 (5)
Danielle Petrisko (UK) def. Natalie McElveen (UA), 6-4, 6-0
Carolina Escamilla (UK) vs. Shelley Godwin (UA), 6-2, 2-6, 2-2, DNF
Jessica Giuggioli (UK) def. Sofia Ayala (UA), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
Coventry/Escamilla (UK) def. Stephenson/Bentley (UA), 8-6
Schwenk/Maurer (UK) vs. Brenes/Muller (UA), 6-5, DNF
Petrisko/Winebrenner (UK) def. Day/Godwin (UA), 8-4
