AUBURN, Ala. – No. 22 Auburn men's tennis came up just short as No. 6 Kentucky posted a 4-3 victory in SEC competition Thursday afternoon outdoors at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
"We had opportunities today and that's all we can ask," said Auburn coach Bobby Reynolds. "We had more break points for us than against us in doubles, and we came up 40-love in one dubs at 3-4, so we had chances. But we battled today. We had four matches go three sets and we just needed to flip another one of those.
"I'm proud of how our guys responded, especially after last weekend. We wanted to leave it all on the court and we did. We fought till the end. We can build on that Saturday."
Kentucky was the winner in doubles; Liam Draxl and Jaden Weekes defeated Tyler Stice and Alejandro Moreno by a 6-3 score, and Alafia Ayeni and Taha Baadi were winners over Finn Murgett and Raul Dobai 6-4 to clinch the team point.
In singles, Auburn took the first set on three courts, with first-set wins by Jan Galka (7-5), Raul Dobai (6-4) and Billy Blaydes (6-1). Kentucky's Liam Draxl, ranked No. 23 nationally, got the first singles point for the Wildcats on court one with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Stice.
Galka gave Auburn its first point of the day with a 7-5, 6-4 victory against No. 102 Taha Baadi on court four to cut the team score to 2-1, and Blaydes brought the Tigers within 3-2 with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 three-set win over Charlelie Cosnet on court six.
Kentucky clinched the team match with a win on court five, but the Tigers' Alejandro Moreno made the final team score 4-3 with a three-set win over No. 47 Joshua Lapadat by a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Auburn is now 11-6 for the spring season, 1-3 in SEC action and 7-2 at home. Kentucky is 16-2 overall and 4-1 in SEC competition.
The Tigers continue the home stand with two matches Saturday, hosting No. 30 Ole Miss Saturday at 1 p.m. and Alabama State at 5 p.m. Both matches are at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (1717 Richland Road, Auburn); admission is free.
#6 Kentucky 4, #22 Auburn 3
Singles
#23 Liam Draxl (UK) def. #124 Tyler Stice (AU) 6-3, 6-3
#28 Alafia Ayeni (UK) def. Finn Murgett (AU) 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2
Alejandro Moreno (AU) def. #47 Joshua Lapadat (UK) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Jan Galka (AU) def. #102 Taha Baadi (UK) 7-5, 6-4
Jaden Weekes (UK) def. Raul Dobai (AU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Billy Blaydes (AU) def. Charlelie Cosnet (UK) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Doubles
Ayeni/Baadi (UK) def. #33 Murgett/Dobai (AU) 6-4
Galka/Blaydes (AU) v #56 Lapadat/J.J. Mercer (UK) 5-5 unfinished
Draxl/Weekes (UK) def. Stice/Moreno (AU) 6-3
Time of match: 3:35; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,1; Singles: 1,4,2,6,5,3; Official: Donna Jerome
