LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis team has risen further in the national rankings with each passing week, while No. 21 Cats is gearing up to face No. 15 Florida in Gainesville, Florida on Thursday, April 1. at 5 pm ET and South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday, April 3 at 1 pm ET. This marks the start of a four-game stretch that will conclude the UK’s regular season.
The Wildcats have a record of 13-4 this season, including a 5-4 mark at the Southeast Conference and a 2-1 mark on the road. The team is coming from a loss to No. 19 Tennessee at home last Sunday, defeating Lady Volunteers 4-2 in the decision. The UK has relied on doubles points throughout the season, winning the first point in 15 of 17 doubles matches this spring.
Leading this effort is the country’s 8th doubles team, in Akvile Paražinskaite and Fiona Aresse. The dominant pair is 16-1 during the fall and spring, boasting an 8-1 record at the conference and a 4-1 record against ranked tandems. Meanwhile, all the matches took place on court one.
Lesedi Jacobs is on a hot tide in the singles competition, after defeating the country’s No. 46 singles player at UT’s Carly Briggs. The senior helped Kentucky reach its 15th doubles point of the season, before defeating Briggs in a three-set battle on court three, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, for his first qualifying win this season.
Florida, ranked 15th, has 9-6 this season, including 7-3 in the league and 5-1 at home. The Gators have four top 25 wins – No. 19 LSU, No. 22 Texas A&M, No. 20 Arkansas and No. 21 Ole Miss. The group also has the country’s second doubles team in Marlee Zein and McCartney Kessler (14-2). Meanwhile, Kessler is named the country’s seventh single player (13-2). Florida dominated the all-time series, 41-3, although Kentucky defeated Blue and Orange at home last season for the first time in more than a decade, 4-3.
South Carolina is 8-9 this season, including 5-5 in the league and 4-4 at home. Gamecocks have two ranked triumphs on their resume, including No. 20 Arkansas and No. 21 Ole Miss. No. 39 Mia Horvit leads the team with a record of 10-7 singles, while No. 16 Horvit and Megan Davies have a 9- 9 doubles record. Gamecocks also lead the all-time series, 24-17, and have won 14 out of the last 15 games.
For news about the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, Facebook and the web at UKathletics.com.