Alabama
Kentucky
Women's Tennis Downs Kentucky, 6-1
3/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 25, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 54th-ranked women's tennis team (8-5, 1-3 SEC) earned its first Southeastern Conference victory of the season with a 6-1 decision over Kentucky (3-14, 1-4 SEC) on Friday at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Crimson Tide swept the three doubles matches and captured five of the six singles contests, with the clinching win coming at No. 1 singles from freshman Mary Anne Macfarlane.
"I like how the team took initiative and finished today," Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. "We have been working really hard on that. The team did a good job of building up the points, finishing the points and putting away the matches. They were ready to have a good, confident match after a tough start to the SEC season, and that is exactly what we got today."
The Tide got its first doubles victory on court one where Alabama's No. 12-ranked team of sophomore Alexa Guarachi and junior Courtney McLane rode a strong service game to defeat senior Megan Broderick and freshman Khristina Blajkevitch 8-3. On court three, sophomore Antonia Foehse and Macfarlane clinched the point for Alabama defeating sophomore Jessica Stiles and freshman CeCe Witten, 8-4. On court two, Tide freshman Alex Clay and junior Taylor Lindsey finished off the sweep with a close victory over Wildcat freshmen Caitlin McGraw and Marni Venter, 8-6.
In singles play, Alabama's McLane, ranked No. 101, finished first, dominating her Wildcat opponent, McGraw, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1 on court three. Within moments of McLane's finish, 93rd-ranked Guarachi wrapped up on court two with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Stiles. Guarachi's win put the Tide up 3-0 and within one win of earning its first conference victory of the season. As if on cue, No. 32 Macfarlane secured the win on court one posting a 6-2, 6-2 decision over 112th-ranked Broderick.
Once the match was clinched, senior Meritt Emery and Foehse followed up with strong showings on courts six and five, respectively. Emery held off a late rally by Kentucky freshman Misha Testerman to emerge victorious in a 6-2, 6-3 win. Foehse won her first set over Witten 6-2, but dropped the ensuing set, 6-4. In the tiebreaker, Foehse regained her early momentum to win 10-7. The lone loss for the Tide came on court four where Clay fell to Blajkevitch 6-4, 6-3.
Alabama will next take on Vanderbilt on Sunday, March 27. First serve is slated for noon CT.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. No. 12 Guarachi/McLane (UA) def. Broderick/Blajkevitch (UK) 8-3
2. Clay/Lindsey (UA) def. McGraw/Venter (UK) 8-6
3. No. 58 Foehse/Macfarlane (UA) def. Stiles/Witten (UK) 8-4
Order of finish: 1,3,2
Singles
1. No. 32 Mary Anne Macfarlane (UA) def. No. 112 Megan Broderick (UK) 6-2, 6-2
2. No. 93 Alexa Guarachi (UA) def. Jessica Stiles (UK) 6-3, 6-1
3. No. 101 Courtney McLane (UA) def. Caitlin McGraw (UK) 6-1, 6-1
4. Khristina Blaikevitch (UK) def. No. 104 Alex Clay (UA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Antonia Foehse (UA) def. CeCe Witten (UK) 6-2, 4-6, 10-7
6. Meritt Emery (UA) def. Misha Testerman (UK) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1*, 6, 5, 4
Players Mentioned
