04-15-2012, 12:30 AM
04-15-2012, 12:30 AM
The University of Kentucky men's tennis team celebrated its first SEC regular-season championship since 1992 after a 6-1 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of UK Athletics)
The University of Kentucky men's tennis team clinched its first Southeastern Conference championship since 1992 on Saturday by defeating visiting Vanderbilt 6-1 to complete an undefeated league campaign.
Kentucky, ranked No. 7 in the nation, finished the SEC regular season with an 11-0 record, its first undefeated mark ever.
“This is the toughest conference in the nation, and to win it we had to go on the road and beat the No. 4 team in the country and then we had to beat six other teams ranked in the top 25,” UK Coach Dennis Emery said. “To run the table and go 11-0 is quite an accomplishment. I didn’t feel at the beginning of the season that we would do this, but this team has really come together and reached its maximum potential. I am a very happy coach.” This is the second time Kentucky has finished first in the SEC regular season. In 1992, the title was determined by a points system combining both regular season and tournament results. UK finished tied for first in the SEC regular season in 1992, but was not officially named the SEC regular season champion. The league started recognizing SEC regular season champions by league records in 2000. “Wow,” UK senior Alex Musialek said. “I have been here for four years now and my freshman year we were ranked 40-50 in the country. I told the coaching staff after that year I wasn’t leaving this place without a title. This team deserves this and we have worked so hard. I am so happy and proud of what we have done, but we have more to accomplish.” “I really can’t explain this feeling,” UK senior Eric Quigley said. “How many people can say on their Senior Day they had a chance to win the SEC title outright? And to do it right next to my best friend with us both playing in the stadium and winning. All the great things that have happened the last four years came down to today and it was really special.” The win gives Kentucky the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, which will begin Thursday in Starkville, Miss. For the third consecutive season, Kentucky will have a first-round bye and not start until Friday. “We need to keep going,” Emery said. “It is great to celebrate and fantastic what we have done so far, but our goal was to win the conference and go to Final Four of NCAAs. We have a lot in front of us.” The Wildcats controlled the entire match against Vanderbilt, winning the doubles point and five of the six singles matches. No. 3 Quigley and No. 15 Musialek paced Kentucky with wins over ranked foes in singles, while junior No. 22 Anthony Rossi, and sophomores No. 104 Alejandro Gomez and Grant Roberts also posted singles wins. UK swept all three doubles matches to start the match, moving to 17-0 this season when they win the doubles point. “I knew there was a lot of pressure today and winning doubles helped calm us down some,” Emery said. “It’s Senior Day, you kind of don’t know how people are going to handle those distractions on Senior Day, but these last three years we’ve just played fantastic at the end of the year. We’ve just gotten better and better throughout the year each of the three years. We really have earned this and deserve it, our players do.” Vanderbilt (7-14, 2-9 SEC) entered the weekend ranked 43rd in the nation.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/14/21511...rylink=cpy
The University of Kentucky men's tennis team clinched its first Southeastern Conference championship since 1992 on Saturday by defeating visiting Vanderbilt 6-1 to complete an undefeated league campaign.
Kentucky, ranked No. 7 in the nation, finished the SEC regular season with an 11-0 record, its first undefeated mark ever.
“This is the toughest conference in the nation, and to win it we had to go on the road and beat the No. 4 team in the country and then we had to beat six other teams ranked in the top 25,” UK Coach Dennis Emery said. “To run the table and go 11-0 is quite an accomplishment. I didn’t feel at the beginning of the season that we would do this, but this team has really come together and reached its maximum potential. I am a very happy coach.” This is the second time Kentucky has finished first in the SEC regular season. In 1992, the title was determined by a points system combining both regular season and tournament results. UK finished tied for first in the SEC regular season in 1992, but was not officially named the SEC regular season champion. The league started recognizing SEC regular season champions by league records in 2000. “Wow,” UK senior Alex Musialek said. “I have been here for four years now and my freshman year we were ranked 40-50 in the country. I told the coaching staff after that year I wasn’t leaving this place without a title. This team deserves this and we have worked so hard. I am so happy and proud of what we have done, but we have more to accomplish.” “I really can’t explain this feeling,” UK senior Eric Quigley said. “How many people can say on their Senior Day they had a chance to win the SEC title outright? And to do it right next to my best friend with us both playing in the stadium and winning. All the great things that have happened the last four years came down to today and it was really special.” The win gives Kentucky the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, which will begin Thursday in Starkville, Miss. For the third consecutive season, Kentucky will have a first-round bye and not start until Friday. “We need to keep going,” Emery said. “It is great to celebrate and fantastic what we have done so far, but our goal was to win the conference and go to Final Four of NCAAs. We have a lot in front of us.” The Wildcats controlled the entire match against Vanderbilt, winning the doubles point and five of the six singles matches. No. 3 Quigley and No. 15 Musialek paced Kentucky with wins over ranked foes in singles, while junior No. 22 Anthony Rossi, and sophomores No. 104 Alejandro Gomez and Grant Roberts also posted singles wins. UK swept all three doubles matches to start the match, moving to 17-0 this season when they win the doubles point. “I knew there was a lot of pressure today and winning doubles helped calm us down some,” Emery said. “It’s Senior Day, you kind of don’t know how people are going to handle those distractions on Senior Day, but these last three years we’ve just played fantastic at the end of the year. We’ve just gotten better and better throughout the year each of the three years. We really have earned this and deserve it, our players do.” Vanderbilt (7-14, 2-9 SEC) entered the weekend ranked 43rd in the nation.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/14/21511...rylink=cpy
04-15-2012, 12:30 AM
Kentucky 6, Vanderbilt 1
At UK's Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center
Singles
1 – No. 3 Eric Quigley (UK) def. No. 34 Charlie Jones (VU) 6-2, 6-3
2 – No. 15 Alex Musialek (UK) def. No. 94 Gonzales Austin (VU) 6-3, 6-4
3 – No. 22 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Blake Bazarnik (VU) 6-3, 6-4
4 – Jeff Offerdahl (VU) def. No. 67 Tom Jomby (UK) 6-3, 3-6, 12-10
5 – No. 104 Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Anton Kovrigin (VU) 6-1, 6-4
6 – Grant Roberts (UK) def. Micahel Retta (VU) 6-0, 7-6 (5) Doubles
1 – No. 11 Eric Quigley/Panav Jha (UK) def. No. 17 Gonzales Austin/Alex Divalerio (VU) 8-3
2 – No. 55 Anthony Rossi/Alex Musialek (UK) def. Blake Bazarnik/Jeff Offerdahl (VU) 8-1
3 – Alejandro Gomez/Tom Jomby (UK) def. Charlie Jones/Joe Dorn (VU) 8-7 (6)
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/14/21511...rylink=cpy
At UK's Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center
Singles
1 – No. 3 Eric Quigley (UK) def. No. 34 Charlie Jones (VU) 6-2, 6-3
2 – No. 15 Alex Musialek (UK) def. No. 94 Gonzales Austin (VU) 6-3, 6-4
3 – No. 22 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Blake Bazarnik (VU) 6-3, 6-4
4 – Jeff Offerdahl (VU) def. No. 67 Tom Jomby (UK) 6-3, 3-6, 12-10
5 – No. 104 Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Anton Kovrigin (VU) 6-1, 6-4
6 – Grant Roberts (UK) def. Micahel Retta (VU) 6-0, 7-6 (5) Doubles
1 – No. 11 Eric Quigley/Panav Jha (UK) def. No. 17 Gonzales Austin/Alex Divalerio (VU) 8-3
2 – No. 55 Anthony Rossi/Alex Musialek (UK) def. Blake Bazarnik/Jeff Offerdahl (VU) 8-1
3 – Alejandro Gomez/Tom Jomby (UK) def. Charlie Jones/Joe Dorn (VU) 8-7 (6)
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/14/21511...rylink=cpy