Sooners Down Razorbacks in SEC Opener

Saturday, February 22

Fayetteville, AR

4 PM

University of Oklahoma

Arkansas

Salakthip Ounmuang celebrating after point

February 22, 2025 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

By: OU Athletics Communications

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 12 Oklahoma women's tennis team defeated No. 62 Arkansas, 4-3, on Saturday in its inaugural Southeastern Conference (SEC) match at the Billingsley Tennis Center.

Women's tennis became OU's second program to win its SEC conference opener after officially joining the league on July 1, 2024. In Oklahoma's 28 years in the Big 12 Conference, Oklahoma reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, including five times under current head coach Audra Cohen. All-time, the Sooners accumulated 33 All-Big 12 selections between singles and doubles.

OU opened the match by dropping just their third doubles point of the season. Pairing up for the first time this spring and getting things started on court three, OU's Julia Garcia Ruiz and Ava Catanzarite grabbed a 6-2 win over Katarina Pavlechova and Jimena Gomez Alonso. At the No. 2 spot, Arkansas' No. 78 Grace O'Donnell and Anet Koskel got the win over No. 53 Gloriana Nahum and Salakthip Ounmuang, 6-2. It was the first loss of the season for the impressive freshmen duo. Alina Shcherbinina and Chloé Noël rallied to erase a 5-2 deficit, but Carolina Gomez Alonso and Olga Bienzobas pulled away late to clinch the doubles point for the Razorbacks at the top court (7-5).

Trailing 1-0 heading into singles, No. 64 Emma Staker met O'Donnell and delivered a quick 6-1, 6-0 win for the Sooners to get on the board. The senior from Tulsa, Okla., boasts four straight-set wins at the No. 4 position this spring. No. 33 Shcherbinina joined Staker in the win column by defeating Bienzobas on court two, 6-0, 6-3.

Grabbing the first singles win for the Razorbacks at the top court, No. 93 Carolina Gomez Alonso took down No. 12 Garcia Ruiz, 6-1, 6-3.

Making her first start at the No. 6 spot, Nahum delivered OU's next win against Jimena Gomez Alonso, 6-3, 6-0.

To clinch the match and fourth ranked win of the season for the Sooners, Ounmuang battled past Koskel (6-1, 6-3) on court three.

The remaining court played on as Arkansas' Katarina Pavlechova closed out the evening with a 6-2, 6-3, win over No. 105 Ava Catanzarite.

RESULTS

#12 Oklahoma 4, #62 Arkansas 3
Singles
1. #93 Carolina Gomez (ARK) def. #12 Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) 6-1, 6-3
2. #33 Alina Shcherbinina (OU) def. Olga Bienzobas (ARK) 6-0, 6-3
3. Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) def. Anet Koskel (ARK) 6-1, 6-3
4. #64 Emma Staker (OU) def. Grace O'Donnell (ARK) 6-1, 6-0
5. Katarina Pavlechova (ARK) def. #105 Ava Catanzarite (OU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. Jimena Gomez Alonso (ARK) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles
1. Carolina Gomez/Olga Bienzobas (ARK) def. Chloe Noel/Alina Shcherbinina (OU) 7-5
2. #78 Grace O'Donnell/Anet Koskel (ARK) def. #53 Salakthip Ounmuang/Gloriana Nahum (OU) 6-2
3. Julia Garcia Ruiz/Ava Catanzarite (OU) def. Katarina Pavlechova/Jimena Gomez Alonso (ARK) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,2,1,6,3,5)