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LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time since 2019, the University of Kentucky women’s tennis team started its season without losing a doubles match and only a singles match during its first four competitions when Kentucky beat Miami, Ohio at 7-0 and Cincinnati, 6-1 , during Tuesday’s double header at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
The Wildcats hit a 4-0 record that season after defeating East Tennessee, Memphis, Miami, Ohio and Cincinnati in just six days. Kentucky beat the first three of these competitions 7-0, while losing only one single game to Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
Kentucky has an 8-0 doubles record and a 23-1 singles record this season, while Great Britain had the same doubles and singles line-ups in both games in the doubles header.
Akvile Paražinskaite goes up and down and has a flawless 2-0 mark in doubles # 1 and a flawless 4-0 mark in singles No. 1. After the native Lithuanian had two triumphs in three sets last week, he scored two triumphs with two sets in the double header. She recorded a 7-5, 6-4 decision over Miami’s (Ohio) Brindtha Ramasamy, while she recorded a 6-1, 6-3 result over Cincinnati’s Ioana Guna.
Carlota Molina With the same 2-0 double record and 4-0 individual record as Paražinskaite at the beginning of the season, she was able to record all of her triumphs in second place. This morning she defeated Larua Rico of Miami, Ohio 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 decision, while tonight she defeated Cassie McLay of Cincinnati in a 6-4, 6-4 result. Meanwhile, Molina and Carla Girbau achieved their first double victories of the season with a 6-1 triumph over their Redhawk opponents and a 6-3 triumph over their Bearcat opponent, both in second place.
In third place, Girbau scored an impressive 6-3, 6-3 against Milana Lysova of Miami, Ohio, but fell in a grueling 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1) contest against Maria Santillii of Cincinnati in a match that lasted more than two hours. It’s the first point Kentucky has given up all season as Girbau moves to 2-0 in doubles and 3-1 in singles.
Two thriving newcomers took care of the fourth and fifth individual places.
On the fourth court Fiona Arrese gave up only five total games in her last three sets of double header. The rookie defeated Redhawk Akenzie Myers 7: 6 (6), 6: 1 on Tuesday morning and Bearcat Kim Gintrand 6: 3, 6: 1 on Tuesday evening.
In fifth place Salsa Aher scored a 6-1, 6-2 win over Miami’s (Ohio) Lena Babunski and a 6-4, 7-5 win over Cincinnati’s Kelli Niehaus.
Both Arrese and Aher made impressive career debuts as the two newcomers hold a 4-0 individual record between courts # 4, # 5 and # 6. Aher also got a couple of double victories today, paired with Lesedi Jacobs. The duo scored two 6-1 results against the Redhawks and Bearcats and improved to a 4-0 record in third doubles this season.
Despite sustaining an injury during her first season, Maialan Morante made her season debut this morning. The second year racked up a 2-0 individual record to start the 2020 schedule, forcing a 7-5, 6-1 decision on Miami’s (Ohio) Sofia Zaprianov and a 6-0, 6-4 decision over Cincinnatis Anna Philp.
On its next appearance, Kentucky will be received at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center Middle Tennessee and Marshall for its final double header of the season on Thursday, January 28th. The first serve against MTSU is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET, while the first serve against Marshall is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Kentucky 7, Miami (Ohio) 0
January 26, 2021
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
singles
1. Akvile Parazinskaite (UK) def. BRINDTHA RAMASAMY (MIAMI) 7-5, 6-4
2. Carlota Molina (UK) def. LAURA RICO (MIAMI) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
3. Carla Girbau (UK) def. MILAN LYSOVA (MIAMI) 6-3, 6-3
4th Fiona Arrese (UK) def. AKENZIE MYERS (MIAMI) 7-6 (7-6), 6-1
5. Salsa Aher (UK) def. LENA BABUNSKI (MIAMI) 6-1, 6-2
6th Maiale Morante (UK) def. SOFIA ZAPRIANOV (MIAMI) 7-5, 6-1
Double
1. Akvile Parazinskaite /Fiona Arrese (UK) versus BRINDTHA RAMASAMY / LAURA RICO (MIAMI) 4-4, unfinished
2. Carla Girbau/.Carlota Molina (UK) def. MILAN LYSOVA / SOFIA ZAPRIANOV (MIAMI) 6-1
3. Lesedi Jacobs/.Salsa Aher (UK) def. MELATI DEVI / AKENZIE MYERS (MIAMI) 6-1
Kentucky 6, Cincinnati 1
January 26, 2021
Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center
Lexington, Ky.
singles
1. Akvile Parazinskaite (UK) def. Ioana Guna (CIN) 6-1, 6-3
2. Carlota Molina (UK) def. Cassie McLay (CIN) 6-4, 6-4
3. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1)
4th Fiona Arrese (UK) def. Kim Gintrand (CIN) 6-3, 6-1
5. Salsa Aher (UK) def. Kelli Niehaus (CIN) 6-4, 7-5
6th Maiale Morante (UK) def. Anna Philp (CIN) 6-0, 6-4
Double
1. Akvile Parazinskaite /Fiona Arrese (UK) v Alexia Countino / Cassie McLay (CIN) 5-6, unfinished
2. Carla Girbau/.Carlota Molina (UK) def. Kim Gintrand / Ioana Guna (CIN) 6-3
3. Lesedi Jacobs/.Salsa Aher (UK) def. Kelli Niehaus / Anna Philp (CIN) 6-1
For the latest information on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, click here @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram Facebook and on the Internet at UKathletics.com.