Tennis teams fall in weekend matchups against Vandy

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By Tyler Spanyer | @KernelSpanyer

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Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams fell to Vanderbilt this weekend.

Trying to close out the season strong, the No. 8 men’s tennis team fell flat against the No. 14 ranked Commodores, losing, 4-2.

“Congrats to Vanderbilt,” head coach Cedric Kauffmann told UK Athletics after the loss. “On my part, I am not doing a good enough job as a coach. Our boys by now should know the importance of each point and the toughness we have to have to be champions. We are far from that. We are giving points away like it’s candy on Halloween night, and we are OK with it, and they think it’s OK. It is unacceptable at (UK).”

UK won the doubles point easily but came out flat in singles as both junior Tom Jomby and senior Anthony Rossi dropped singles matches after winning their opening sets.

UK would go on to win only one singles match, as freshman Beck Pennington won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.

The UK men will next travel to Florida and South Carolina where they will face off with the Gators and Gamecocks to close the regular season next weekend.

The No. 47 UK women’s tennis team has hit hard times as it lost its fifth straight match, against No. 19 Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt got out to an early lead by winning the doubles point thanks to two easy victories on courts one and two.

Vandy built its lead to 3-0 with two straight set victories on courts six and three. UK then had to fight out of a hole down with four singles matches to play. Vanderbilt would go on to clinch the match with yet another straight sets victory on court two.

Freshman Nadia Ravita improved her already impressive collegiate record, beating No. 61 Lauren Mira in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. Junior Caitlin McGraw also won in straight sets to give UK its second point of the match.

The UK women will host Florida and South Carolina on Friday and Sunday in the final regular season weekend of play.