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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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*
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Singles
1. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Emily Fanning (UK) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Justina Mikulskyte (UK)Â 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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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*
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Singles
1. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Emily Fanning (UK) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Justina Mikulskyte (UK)Â 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*