COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 37 Ohio State women’s tennis team saw its season come to an end Friday in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Evanston, Ill., falling 4-0 to No. 26 Kentucky at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center. The Buckeyes end their season with a 15-11 overall record, including a 7-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. Kentucky (13-10, 3-9 SEC) moves on to the second round, where it will take on the winner of the match between top-ranked Northwestern and Miami (Ohio) Saturday, with a trip to the Round of 16 on the line.



The doubles point belonged to the Wildcats with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Buckeyes junior Christina Keesey and senior Angela DiPastina made their final collegiate doubles match together memorable, knocking off the 31st-ranked Kentucky tandem of Carolina Escamilla and Caroline Lilley at No. 1, 8-6. Senior Julie Blackmore and sophomore Cami Hubbs did not fare as well at No. 2, losing 8-5 to Christine Johnston and Megan Broderick. Blackmore finished her Ohio State career with 89 doubles wins, seventh all-time in Ohio State history. The doubles point was sealed at No. 3, where junior Kirsten Flower and sophomore Paloma Escobedo fell, 8-5, to Lauren Meier and Whitney Spencer.



The Wildcats staked themselves to a 2-0 overall match lead after Lilley defeated DiPastina in straight sets at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-0. DiPastina wrapped her senior season with 73 career singles wins, seventh-most all-time at Ohio State.



The next point for Kentucky came at the No. 4 singles spot, where two set tiebreakers went Meier’s way against Hubbs, winning 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3). The match clinching point came at No. 3 singles, where Upper Arlington, Ohio, native Johnston took a three-set win over Keesey, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.



With the match wrapped up, the remaining singles matches went unfinished. Flower and No. 111-ranked Broderick were deadlocked at 1-all in the third set after splitting the first two sets. Escamilla had edged out in front of Escobedo, 5-4, in the third set of their match, while Blackmore was leading 4-2 in the third as the match closed out.



Tennis Match Results

Ohio State vs Kentucky

5/8/2009 at Evanston, Ill.



#26 Kentucky 4, #37 Ohio State 0



Singles competition

1. #111 Megan Broderick (UK) vs. Kirsten Flower (OSU) 7-6 (3-0), 5-7, 1-1, unfinished

2. Carolina Escamilla (UK) vs. Paloma Escobedo (OSU) 4-6, 6-0, 5-4, unfinished

3. Christine Johnston (UK) def. Christina Keesey (OSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2

4. Lauren Meier (UK) def. Cami Hubbs (OSU) 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3)

5. Caroline Lilley (UK) def. Angela DiPastina (OSU) 6-2, 6-0

6. Whitney Spencer (UK) vs. Julie Blackmore (OSU) 6-2, 3-6, 2-4, unfinished



Doubles competition

1. Angela DiPastina/Christina Keesey (OSU) def. #31 Carolina Escamilla/Caroline Lilley (UK) 8-6

2. Megan Broderick/Christine Johnston (UK) def. Julie Blackmore/Cami Hubbs (OSU) 8-5

3. Lauren Meier/Whitney Spencer (UK) def. Kirsten Flower/Paloma Escobedo (OSU) 8-5



Match Notes:

Ohio State 15-11; National ranking #37

Kentucky 13-10; National ranking #26

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,4,3)

NCAA Tournament -- First Round

T-3:51 A-125