LEXINGTON, Ky. – The No. 10 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team fell to the 14th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in a 4-2 heartbreak on Saturday night.
The road loss was the Commodores’ first Southeastern Conference defeat of the year, now sitting 9-4 overall and 4-1 in league play.
The outing began with slow doubles play as UK garnered victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles for the one-point advantage. Morgan Chumney and Akvile Parazinskaite only allowed VU’s Sydney Campbell and Emma Kurtz two games in the duo’s first loss as a team.
The Wildcats completed the doubles clinch, as No. 5 Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi defeated No. 20 Astra Sharma and Emily Smith, 6-3. With the loss the Commodore duo now owns a 6-2 overall record. Fernanda Contreras and Christina Rosca led 4-3 on court three at the clinch.
In singles play, the ‘Dores loaded the Wildcat’s four indoor courts, ready to rally in singles play. VU nabbed four of six first sets, with the team’s two wins coming in straight sets.
After playing nearly flawless tennis, Kurtz leveled the match, 1-1. The freshman from Atlanta is now the only undefeated Commodore in conference play, limiting Emily Fanning to three games in her 6-2, 6-1 victory on court four.
Georgina Sellyn lost to Adachi in two tough 6-4 sets, allowing Kentucky the 2-1 advantage. No. 5 Sharma tied the match, generating the ‘Dores second and final point of the contest in a top 25 battle. The Aussie ran away with the first set against No. 16 Sutjiadi, 6-2. The Wildcat attempted to force a third set, but Sharma came out on top of a second set tiebreaker, 7-6(6).
Parazinskaite earned UK its third point over the Commodores with a tough three set victory over No. 65 Rosca. Rosca had a perfect 6-0 opening set, but allowed her opponent the second set, 6-2. The freshman gave up a few key points in the final set for the UK win, 6-4.
The Wildcats delivered the final blow on court five as Mikulskyte routed Contreras in a 6-4, 6-3 defeat for the fourth and final point.
Vandy will remain on the road for next weekend’s SEC matchups, facing Auburn and Alabama.
