The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Kentucky
Lady Rebel Netters Lose Heatbreaker At No. 7 Kentucky
3/6/2005 | Women's Tennis
March 6, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's tennis team suffered a tough loss to No. 7 ranked Kentucky, falling 4-3 at the Boone Tennis Complex Sunday. With the loss, the Lady Rebels dropped to 6-4 and 0-2 in the SEC, while Kentucky improved to 13-3 and 2-0 in conference.
The Wildcats, who reached the final at the National Team Indoor and have been ranked as high as No. 3, won their eighth straight match overall this season, but the Lady Rebels did all they could to come away with a victory, falling just short. This marked the fourth straight match for the outcome to be decided by one point.
Ole Miss fell behind 1-0 after Kentucky won a close doubles point. Kentucky's top team of Aibika Kalsarieva and Sarah Foster, ranked No. 6 in the nation, defeated Chloe Carlotti and Virginia Tomatis, ranked No. 53, 8-5. Kentucky also won 8-5 at No. 2 and 8-6 at No. 3.
In singles, Kentucky was able to win at the top three spots, while the Lady Rebels claimed the bottom three. Kalsarieva, ranked No. 9 in the nation, won the first set against Carlotti, ranked No. 34, 6-2 and then held off the two-time All-American, 7-5 in the second.
Kim Coventry, ranked No. 43, defeated Lady Rebel Tomatis 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles. At No. 2 singles, Lady Rebel sophomore Ilona Somers was up a set 6-3, and had match point in the second set tiebreaker against UK's Foster. However, Foster would hold on to win that set and the third 6-1.
While head coach Mark Beyers wasn't happy about the loss, he was pleased with how well his freshman played at the bottom three positions. Nika Koukhartchouk beat Joelle Schwenk of Kentucky, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 at No. 4 singles. Mimi Renaudin posted a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win over Lara Maurer on court five, and Preethi Subramanian topped Danielle Petrisko, 6-1, 7-6 on court six.
"It's disappointing to come so close again and not be able to come out on top," head coach Mark Beyers said. "But, on a positive note, we are proud of these girls for not giving up and especially the freshmen, who played well on the road against a top 10 team. If we can match this type of play next weekend against Alabama and Auburn we will have a chance to even our conference record."
DOUBLES
#1 Kalsarieva/Foster (UK) def. Carlotti/Tomatis (OM) 8-5
#2 Schwenk/Coventry (UK) def. Somers/Renaudin (OM) 8-5
#3 Maurer/Foster (UK) def. Kouhartchouk/Subramanian (OM) 8-6
SINGLES
#1 Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. Chloe Carlotti (OM) 6-2, 7-5
#2 Sarah Foster (UK) def. Ilona Somers (OM) 3-6, 7-6, 6-1
#3 Kim Coventry (UK) def. Virginia Tomatis (OM) 6-2, 6-4
#4 Nika Kouhartchouk (OM) def. Joelle Schwenk (UK) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
#5 Mimi Renaudin (OM) def. Lara Maurer (UK) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
#6 Preethi Subramanian (OM) def. Danielle Petrisko (UK) 6-1, 7-6
