OU Women's Tennis Beats No. 43 Texas, 4-3

March 22, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The 32nd-ranked Oklahoma women's tennis team claimed a huge conference win with a 4-3 victory over the 43rd-ranked Texas Longhorns Saturday at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center in Austin, Texas. The Sooners improved to 3-1 in Big 12 Conference action and 12-2 overall while the Longhorns fell to 5-1 in conference and 5-7 overall. It's OU's first win over Texas since the formation of the Big 12 Conference. The Sooners also moved to an impressive 6-2 versus ranked opponents this season.

The Sooners mixed up their doubles teams and swept the Longhorns to win the double point. OU's Annette Bryntesson (Perth, Australia) and Heather Saluri (Des Moines, Iowa) posted their second win of the season with an 8-3 victory over UT's 21st-ranked duo of Kendra Strohm and Ziva Grasic at No. 1 doubles. At No. 2, junior Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania) and Bethany Griffin (Amarillo, Texas) also garnered their second win as a duo beating Longhorns Kelly Baritot and Lindsay Blau, 8-4.

OU completed the sweep in doubles as sophomore Jessica Braver (Edmond, Okla.) and senior Melissa Mendieta (San Jose, Costa Rica) remained undefeated at No. 3 doubles (4-0) with a 9-7 win over UT's Macey Breece and Michelle Krinke.

The Sooner women claimed three matches in singles to pull out the victory. OU's 94th-ranked Perianu dominated UT's 52nd-ranked Strohm, 6-4, 6-2, pushing her record to 11-2 at No. 1 singles. Sooner senior Elena Jirnova (Kiev, Ukraine) dropped the first set in her match with Baritot at No. 2 singles but came back in fine fashion to win, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. OU's Saluri provided the winning point for Oklahoma at No. 4 singles with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Blau.

The Sooners have three days to prepare for another tough contest against a conference rival on the road. OU faces off with No. 41 Oklahoma State on Wednesday, March 26. The Cowgirls are 7-4 overall and 2-3 in conference. Match time is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the DuBois Tennis Center in Stillwater, Okla.

No. 32 Oklahoma - 4, No. 43 Texas - 3
Saturday, March 22
Penick-Allison Tennis Center
Austin, Texas

Singles
1. (#94) Anda Perianu (OU) def. (#52) Kendra Strohm (UT)        6-4, 6-2
2. Elena Jirnova (OU) def. Kelly Baritot (UT)                   3-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Michelle Krinke (UT) def. Annette Bryntesson (OU)            6-4, 6-2
4. Heather Saluri (OU) def. Lindsay Blau (UT)                   4-6, 6-4, 7-5
5. Ziva Grasic (UT) def. Bethany Griffin (OU)                   6-1, 7-5
6. Macey Breece (UT) def. Melissa Mendieta (OU)                 6-2, 0-6, 6-1

Doubles
1. Bryntesson/Saluri (OU) def. (#21) Strohm/Grasic (UT)         8-3
2. Griffin/Perianu (OU) def. Baritot/Blau (UT)                  8-4
3. Jessica Braver/Mendieta (OU) def. Breece/Krinke (UT)         9-7

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Women's Tennis Beats No. 43 Texas, 4-3

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