Womens Tennis Falls In Final of National Indoor Playoff

Sooner Women defeat New Mexico 4-1 but fall to BYU 4-2

The University of Oklahoma women's tennis team fell to BYU, 4-2, in the finals of the inaugural ITA National Indoor Team playoff Saturday at the Eccles Tennis Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

BYU won the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. Sooner standouts, senior Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania) and junior Heather Saluri (Des Moines, Iowa) claimed the only doubles win, defeating Barbara Zahnova and Sofia Holden 8-3. In singles action, Perianu won comfortably at the No. 1 spot defeating Barbora Zahnova, 6-3, 6-3. Sooner freshman Irina Lykina (Kazan, Russia) dominated at the No. 2 spot demolishing BYU's Sofia Holden, 6-0, 6-1. The Sooners fell at the No. 3, 5 and 6 singles spots to go down 4-2.

"The girls fought hard and I was proud of their efforts," said Head Coach Mark Johnson. "I feel that we are playing well as a team, especially this early in the season. We are looking forward to the spring."

Earlier in the day the Sooner's defeated New Mexico, 4-1. OU easily took the doubles point winning at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. In singles, OU won three of the six matches to claim the dual. At the No. 2 spot, Lykina picked up a straight-set victory over New Mexico's Sandy Lukowski, 6-1, 7-5. OU junior Bethany Griffin (Amarillo, Texas) convincingly won in two sets against Tjasa Suvak, 6-3, 6-2. Also stepping up for the Sooners was freshman Amanda Pratzel (St. Louis, Missouri). Pratzel demolished Maria Ruiz-Fabrega of New Mexico, 6-2, 6-0.

Although the loss ended Oklahoma's fall schedule, Perianu is preparing to compete in the singles draw of the individual ITA National Indoor tournament to be played in Ann Arbor, Mich., Nov 6-9.

2003 ITA National Indoor Playoffs

Eccles Tennis Center * Salt Lake City, Utah

OKLAHOMA v. BYU (Final)

Nov. 1, 2003

Singles

1: Anda Perianu (OU) def. Barbora Zahnova (BYU) 6-3, 6-3

2: Irina Lykina (OU) def. Sofia Holden (BYU) 6-1, 6-0

3: Olga Boulytcheva (BYU) def. Heather Saluri (OU) 6-3, 6-4

5: Lauren Jones (BYU) def. Jessica Braver (OU) 6-1, 7-6

6: Rebecca Pike (BYU) def. Amanda Pratzel (OU) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles

1: Perianu & Saluri (OU) def. Zahnova & Holden (BYU) 8-3

2: MacFarlane & Schneider (BYU) def. Lykina & Braver (OU) 8-3

3: Pike & Oswald (BYU) def. Griffin & Pratzel (OU) 8-6

OKLAHOMA v. NEW MEXICO (Semi-Final)

Nov. 1, 2003

Singles

2: Irina Lykina (OU) def. Sandy Lukowski (UNM) 6-1, 7-5

3: Maja Kovacek (UNM) def. Heather Saluri (OU) 6-2, 6-3

4: Bethany Griffin (OU) def. Tjasa Suvak (UNM) 6-3, 6-2

6: Amanda Pratzel (OU) def. Maria Ruiz-Fabrega (UNM) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles

1: Perianu & Saluri (OU) def. Kovacek & Lukowski (UNM) 8-4

2: Lykina & Braver (OU) def. Gersic & Ruiz-Fabrega (UNM) 8-3

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Womens Tennis Falls In Final of National Indoor Playoff

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