The No. 49 Kentucky women’s tennis team (12-10, 4-6 SEC) faced a challenging opponent on their recent trip to Columbus, Ohio. Taking on the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-5, 5-0 B1G) at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center, the Wildcats put up a valiant effort but ultimately succumbed to a 2-4 defeat in the non-conference contest.
The Wildcats managed to regain their doubles momentum, clinching the opening point against the Buckeyes. Ellie Eades and Zoe Hammond secured a 6-2 victory on Court 3 over OSU’s Shelly Bereznyak and Akanksha Bhan. Despite losing the point on Court 2, the No. 44-ranked pair of Elizabeth Stevens and Carlota Molina triumphed over the No. 19 duo of Irina Cantos Siemers and Sydni Ratliff, 6-4, to capture the doubles point for Kentucky.
Armed with a 1-0 advantage, the Wildcats entered singles play with determination. However, the Buckeyes quickly responded, as No. 21 Cantos Siemers defeated Eades 6-2, 6-2 on Court 2. Hammond put up a fierce battle on Court 5 but ultimately fell to OSU’s Lucia Marzal, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.
The Buckeyes continued to press their advantage, with Danielle Willson besting Kentucky’s Makayla Mills on Court 6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Despite the mounting pressure, Lidia Gonzalez managed to rally and secure a point for the Wildcats, defeating Kolie Allen in a grueling three-set match on Court 5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
In the end, Ohio State clinched the match with a victory on Court 1, as the No. 33-ranked Ratliff overcame Stevens, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-3. The loss marked a disappointing outcome for the Wildcats, but the team remains hopeful for a conference win on the road.
Kentucky will look to bounce back this Saturday at Noon EST when they face Vanderbilt. With a resilient spirit and lessons learned from their match against the Buckeyes, the Wildcats are eager to prove themselves as contenders in the SEC.