Kentucky women’s tennis (14-13, 5-11 SEC) started off the SEC Tennis Championship strong with a 4-1 win over Arkansas and ended its season with a 4-0 loss to LSU.

The Wildcats got off to a strong start in the tournament, winning the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. Kentucky’s No. 32 ranked duo Lizzy Stevens and Ellie Eades put on an impressive performance, taking down Arkansas’ No. 42 ranked duo Olga Bienzobas and Carolina Gomez Alonso 7-5. 

Asuncion Jadue and Zoe Hammond continued the dominant performance by taking down Anet Koskel and Grace O’Donnell 6-4. This gave the Cats the two doubles wins they needed to take the point.

The determination and great performances continued in singles play as the Cats would take the points in all of the singles match ups except for one. In a close match up No. 39 Hammond fell to No. 77 Alonso 6-4 and 7-5. 

Kentucky’s Julia Zhu, who is ranked No. 91 looked to keep the Cats winning ways going. After falling short in the first set 4-6, Zhu looked to bounce back to take the match into a third set. In the second set, Zhu got the sweep 6-0. 

Heading into the third set with, Zhu kept her dominant performance alive by sweeping Bienzobas once again. 

The remaining matches were played out with Stevens and Ellie Myers matches going unfinished, making the final score 4-1 in favor of Kentucky. 

Heading into the second day of the tournament looking to keep play strong coming off the 4-1 win over Arkansas, the Wildcats went head-to-head against No. 11 LSU hoping to keep their tournament play alive. 

With a strong start to doubles play on court one as the veteran No. 32 Stevens and Eades defeated the Tigers No. 3 ranked duo of Cadence Brace and Kayla Cross 6-2. After this Kentucky fell short in both of the remaining doubles to fall into an early 1-0 deficit. 

LSU’s strength gave it an incredible advantage as singles played out. The Tigers increased their team score to 2-0 after Tilwith Di Girolami took down Stevens 6-2, 6-4. 

Kentucky continued to struggle as No. 15 Brace defeated No. 39 Hammond 6-3,6-0 which extended LSU’s lead 3-0. Gaby Rivera gave LSU the final point over Meyers 6-2, 6-3. Three of Kentucky’s singles went unfinished including Zhu’s before the match was called.