Women's Tennis Defeats Iowa State At Big 12 Championships

April 24, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The 33rd-ranked and fifth-seeded Oklahoma women's team advanced to the second round of the 2003 Big 12 Championships with a 4-2 victory over Iowa State Thursday at the Kansas City Raquet Club in Merriam, Kan. Play had to be moved indoors due to inclement weather. The Sooner women improved to 19-5 on the season and 8-4 in conference while the Cyclones finished their season 3-16 overall and 0-12 in conference.

The Sooners took a 1-0 lead early in the contest as the 43rd-ranked duo of Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania) and Heather Saluri (Des Moines, Iowa) claimed their 16th win at No. 1 doubles with an 8-4 victory over ISU's Sabrina Evers and Kristin Gyaki. Sooner senior Melissa Mendieta (San Jose, Costa Rica) and sophomore Jessica Braver (Edmond, Okla.) posted their ninth victory on the year with an 8-5 win over the Cyclones' Eve Soriano and Courtney Leese.

OU's Perianu, the Big 12's No. 1 position champion and second-time All-Conference selection, made quick work of Evers at No. 1, 6-2, 6-1. With the win, she extended her win streak to 11 matches and also improved to 21-2 at No. 1 singles this spring.

Mendieta, the Big 12 co-champion at No. 6 singles, extended the Sooner lead with a straight-set win over Leese at No. 5. She is now 4-1 at that position and 18-5 on the season.

Senior Annette Bryntesson (Perth, Australia) clinched the Oklahoma victory at No. 2 with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Gyaki. The win pushed her record to 3-1 at No. 2 and 15-7 overall.

The Sooner women move on to the quarterfinals to face intrastate rival and 35th-ranked Oklahoma State on Friday at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo. OU will be looking to revenge against the fourth-seeded Cowgirls, who topped the Sooners, 5-2, in Stillwater on March 26. Match time is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

Big 12 Championships - First Round
No. 33 Oklahoma 4, Iowa State 2
Thursday, April 24
Kansas City Raquet Club - Merriam, Kan.

Doubles
1. (#43) Perianu/Saluri (OU) def. Evers/Gyaki (ISU)     8-4
2. Griffin/Bryntesson (OU) def. Chermel/Goedjen (ISU)   DNF - Doubles point already clinched
3. Braver/Mendieta (OU) def. Soriano/Leese (ISU)        8-5

Singles
1. (#57) Anda Perianu (OU) def. Sabrina Evers (ISU)     6-2, 6-1
2. Annette Bryntesson (OU) def. Kristin Gyaki (ISU)     6-3, 6-4
3. Eve Soriano (ISU) def. Heather Saluri (OU)           6-2, 7-6 (3)
4. Tara Goedjen (ISU) def. Bethany Griffin (OU)         6-4, 6-3
5. Melissa Mendieta (OU) def. Courtney Leese (ISU)      6-3, 6-3
6. Jessica Braver (OU) vs. Beth Chermel (ISU)           DNF - Match already clinched

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Women's Tennis Defeats Iowa State At Big 12 Championships

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