Friday, May 11
Evanston, Ill.
Noon
Northwestern
vs
Kentucky vs. Kansas State
Kansas State Edges Kentucky, 4-3
5/11/2018 3:59:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Kansas State won a battle of Wildcats Friday afternoon in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Division I NCAA Women's Tennis Championship by defeating Kentucky, 4-3, in a thriller at Combe Tennis Center on the campus of Northwestern University.
With the win, KSU advances to Saturday's second round where it will face the winner of Friday's second match between Buffalo and host Northwestern.
Kentucky jumped in front by taking the doubles point thanks to wins at Nos. 1 and 2. The 65th-ranked team of Mami Adachi and Justina Mikulskyte rolled to a 6-1 victory at No. 2 before Lesedi Jacobs and Emily Fanning posted a 6-3 win, putting UK up 1-0 in the match.
Kansas State pulled even, 1-1, due to Jacobs being forced to retire trailing 5-4 in her first set against Anna Turco at No. 5 singles.
Kentucky moved to within one point of taking the match thanks to straight-set victories by Mami Adachi (6-3, 6-3) at No. 1 and Diana Tkachenko (6-4, 6-2) at No. 4.
Kansas State managed to stay alive thanks to a comeback three-set win by Margot Decker (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) at No. 1, leaving the match to be decided by a pair of matches in third sets at Nos. 2 and 6.
Both matches went down to the wire. At No. 6, Ines Mesquita was able to finish off a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5 win to even the match. Mere moments later, Maria Linares was victorious in the decisive match at No. 2 in a third-set tiebreak, winning 7-6 (7), 3-6, 7-6 (6).
Kansas State 4, Kentucky 3
Doubles
1. #65 Lesedi Jacobs/Emily Fanning (UK) def. Margot Decker/Carolina Costamagna (KSU) 6-3
2. Mami Adachi/Justina Mikulskyte (UK) def. Rosanna Maffei/Ines Mesquita (KSU) 6-1
3. Diana Tkachenko/Brianna Tulloch (UK) vs. Maria Linares/Anna Turco (KSU) 4-3, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Emily Fanning (UK) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Justina Mikulskyte (UK) 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 7-6 (8-6)
3. Mami Adachi (UK) def. Carolina Costamagna (KSU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Diana Tkachenko (UK) def. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Anna Turco (KSU) def. Lesedi Jacobs (UK) 5-4, retired
6. Ines Mesquita (KSU) def. Brianna Tulloch (UK) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 6, 2*
With the win, KSU advances to Saturday's second round where it will face the winner of Friday's second match between Buffalo and host Northwestern.
Kentucky jumped in front by taking the doubles point thanks to wins at Nos. 1 and 2. The 65th-ranked team of Mami Adachi and Justina Mikulskyte rolled to a 6-1 victory at No. 2 before Lesedi Jacobs and Emily Fanning posted a 6-3 win, putting UK up 1-0 in the match.
Kansas State pulled even, 1-1, due to Jacobs being forced to retire trailing 5-4 in her first set against Anna Turco at No. 5 singles.
Kentucky moved to within one point of taking the match thanks to straight-set victories by Mami Adachi (6-3, 6-3) at No. 1 and Diana Tkachenko (6-4, 6-2) at No. 4.
Kansas State managed to stay alive thanks to a comeback three-set win by Margot Decker (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) at No. 1, leaving the match to be decided by a pair of matches in third sets at Nos. 2 and 6.
Both matches went down to the wire. At No. 6, Ines Mesquita was able to finish off a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5 win to even the match. Mere moments later, Maria Linares was victorious in the decisive match at No. 2 in a third-set tiebreak, winning 7-6 (7), 3-6, 7-6 (6).
Kansas State 4, Kentucky 3
Doubles
1. #65 Lesedi Jacobs/Emily Fanning (UK) def. Margot Decker/Carolina Costamagna (KSU) 6-3
2. Mami Adachi/Justina Mikulskyte (UK) def. Rosanna Maffei/Ines Mesquita (KSU) 6-1
3. Diana Tkachenko/Brianna Tulloch (UK) vs. Maria Linares/Anna Turco (KSU) 4-3, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Emily Fanning (UK) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Justina Mikulskyte (UK) 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 7-6 (8-6)
3. Mami Adachi (UK) def. Carolina Costamagna (KSU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Diana Tkachenko (UK) def. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Anna Turco (KSU) def. Lesedi Jacobs (UK) 5-4, retired
6. Ines Mesquita (KSU) def. Brianna Tulloch (UK) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 6, 2*
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