Women's Tennis Drops Tight Match To No. 11 Tulane, 4-2

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 20 Oklahoma women's tennis team lost a tough 4-2 match to No. 11 Tulane, Sunday, in the second round of the NCAA Regionals at the OU Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman.

The match lasted more than four hours and came down to the final two singles matches, both of which went to third sets. Oklahoma concluded the season with a record of 22-5, while the Green Wave improved to 27-1 and earned a spot in the final 16 of the NCAA Championships.

“It was a good match,” said head coach Mark Johnson. “Tulane is one of the top teams in the nation, loaded from top to bottom of their lineup. I felt we played well and had great effort all day long. It was a credit to our team to be right in the match after four hours of play. We were in it right down to the very end, it just didn't swing our way.”

Scoring | Tournament Central

The Sooners started slow in the doubles, getting down early at No. 2 and No. 3. Oklahoma's Jessica Braver (Edmond, Okla.) and Irina Lykina (Kazan, Russia) were unable to close the early deficit at No. 2 doubles, falling to Tulane's Nancy Kockott and Dorottya Magas, 8-3. OU's Gabby Baker (Gold Coast, Australia) and Beth Griffin (Amarillo, Texas) came back from 5-2 down at No. 3, but couldn't get a lead and eventually dropping the match, 8-6.

After losing the doubles point, the Sooners fought back in the singles. After just an hour of play, Oklahoma's first win came from senior standout and fifth-ranked Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania), who dominated Tulane's 81st-ranked Maria Ivanov, 6-2, 6-1. Perianu closed team season play with an impressive record of 23-1 and pushed her singles winning streak to 19.

OU's next point came from Lykina at No. 2, who fought through back pain to upset TU's 99th-ranked Jenny Kuhn, 7-6 (2), 6-4. With two matches remaining, both in third sets, the Sooners needed both to clinch a win. Junior Heather Saluri (Des Moines, Iowa) and Baker were the last two Sooners on court. Saluri eventually fell at No. 4 singles to Tulane's 91st-ranked Darya Ivanov, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2.

Oklahoma now looks forward to the NCAA individual singles and doubles championships, where Sooners Perianu and Saluri will be competing. The championships will be held in Athens, Ga., May 24-29. Perianu will be making her third straight appearance in the singles draw, while Perianu and Saluri make their second straight trip for doubles.

NCAA Regional Championship
OU Headington Family Tennis Center

Singles
1.Anda Perianu (OU) (#5) def. Maria Ivanov (TU) (#81), 6-1, 6-2
2.Irina Lykina (OU) def. Jenny Kuhn (TU) (#99), 7-6 (2), 6-4
3.Gabby Baker (OU) vs. Julie Smekodub (TU) (#58), DNF
4.Darya Ivanov (TU) (#91)Heather Saluri (OU), 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2
5.Dorottya Magas (TU)Jessica Braver (OU), 6-2, 6-0
6.Nancy Kockett (TU) (#62) def. Beth Griffin (OU), 7-5, 6-4

Doubles
1.Perianu/Saluri (OU) (#17) vs. D. Ivanov /Smekodub (TU), DNF
2.Kockott/Magas (TU) (#45) def. Braver/Lykina (OU), 8-3
3.M. Ivanov/Kuhn def. Baker/Griffin (OU), 8-6

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Women's Tennis Drops Tight Match To No. 11 Tulane, 4-2

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors