Razorback Netters Defeated by No. 47 Kentucky 6-1
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas fell behind early and could not come back against 47th-ranked Kentucky, 6-1, Sunday afternoon at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center.
The Razorbacks (6-12, 0-4 SEC) are continuing to battle through what is now a six-match losing streak. The Wildcats (8-6, 2-2) bounced back after losing Friday at LSU.
Arkansas’ only point was earned the racket of Blake Strode. Strode, ranked 90th in the nation, came back after dropping his first set to upset 68th-ranked Bruno Agostinelli, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(8). Strode is now 19-7 on the season, and the sophomore improves to 10-5 in dual matches and 1-3 in SEC play.
Kentucky earned the doubles point by fighting off a Razorback rally on court three. With matches on courts one and two decided, the Razorbacks’ team of Gabriel Mattos and Bradwin Williams trailed, 6-3. The pair of freshmen rallied against the Wildcats’ tandem of Marcus Sundh and Roman Ogarkov to even the match at six apiece. The Wildcats held off the rally, however, and took the match and the doubles point.
Kentucky won the first set in each of the six singles matches. UK clinched the match after taking the first three matches to finish, courts four, two and three, respectively.
Arkansas is now off for a week, hitting the road next Sunday to face UNLV at 1 p.m. in Las Vegas, Nev. The Hogs return to conference action March 23 at Florida.
#47 Kentucky 6, Arkansas 1
March 11, 2007
Dills Indoor Center, Fayetteville, Ark.
Singles
1. #90 Blake Strode (ARK) def. #68 Bruno Agostinelli (UK), 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(8)
2. Will Ward (UK) def. Colin Mascall (ARK), 6-1, 6-3
3. Peter Bjork (UK) def. Andrei Nicoara (ARK), 6-2, 6-1
4. Marcus Sundh (UK) def. Dmitry Vlaskin (ARK), 6-2, 6-1
5. Kenny Hodge (UK) def. Dmitry Lebedev (ARK), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0(5)
6. Shane Collins (UK) def. Bradwin Williams (ARK), 7-6(5), 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3*, 1, 5, 6
Doubles
1. Mascall/Strode (ARK) def. Agostinelli/Hodge (UK), 8-3
2. Ward/Bjork (UK) def. Jorge Villanueva/Vlaskin (ARK), 8-2
3. Roman Ogarkov/Sundh (UK) def. Gabriel Mattos/Williams (ARK), 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3*
