The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Kentucky
Women's Tennis Loses Another Close One To Kentucky
3/7/2003 | Women's Tennis
March 7, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The 37th-ranked Ole Miss women's tennis team lost another close match, this time to 13th-ranked Kentucky, 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The Lady Rebels dropped to 3-8 overall and 0-3 in the SEC, while Kentucky improved to 12-5, and 2-1 in conference play.
With the loss, it marked the Lady Rebels' third 4-3 defeat of the season and second in a row. Seven of their eight losses have been against top 25 teams. It was also the second year in a row Kentucky has won by a 4-3 score.
"We played well," head coach Mark Beyers said. "It's frustrating that we just can't seem to get over the hump and win a close match. We keep thinking sooner or later we will come out on top in a tight match. It doesn't get any easier Sunday with 10th-ranked Vanderbilt."
Kentucky got on board first by winning the doubles. Ole Miss' Sabrina Peppl and Audra Adams defeated Leigh Bradwell and Jill Buckley 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, but it was not enough, as Kentucky won 8-4 at No. 1 and 8-0 at No. 3.
Mira Radu, ranked No. 24 in the nation, defeated UK's 76th-ranked Sarah Witten 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at the top spot to improve to 13-8 overall and 5-6 at No. 1 singles. Karem Harboe snapped a four-match losing streak with an impressive 6-0, 6-1 win over Nathalie Roels at No. 2 singles. Buckley downed Lady Rebel Florencia Basile 6-2, 6-2 on court three.
Freshman Virginia Tomatis lost to the Wildcat's Shannon Stafford 6-3, 7-6(5) at No. 4 singles. The bottom two courts went three sets, but needing only to win one, Kentucky got the victory on court five. Amy Trefethen handed Ole Miss' Peppl a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 loss to clinch the victory. Adams held off UK's Shannon Stough at No. 6 singles 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 to win her fourth match in her last five.
The Lady Rebels will face a Vanderbilt team on Sunday, who is also seeking its first conference win, after going 0-2 with losses to Georgia and Tennessee last weekend.
#13 Kentucky 4
#37 Ole Miss 3
SINGLES
#1 Mira Radu (OM) def. Sarah Witten (UK) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
#2 Karem Harboe (OM) def. Nathalie Roels (UK) 6-0, 6-1
#3 Jill Buckley (UK) def. Florencia Basile (OM) 6-2, 6-2
#4 Shannon Stafford (UK) def. Virginia Tomatis (OM) 6-3, 7-6(5)
#5 Amy Trefethen (UK) def. Sabrina Peppl (OM) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
#6 Audra Adams (OM) def. Shannon Stough (UK) 6-1, 1-6, 7-5
DOUBLES
#1 Trefethen-Witten (UK) def. Radu-Tomatis (OM) 8-4
#2 Peppl-Adams (OM) def. Bradwell-Buckley (OM) 8-5
#3 Roels-Stafford (UK) def. Harboe-Basile (OM) 8-0
