Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, January 26
Stillwater, OK
2 PM
Oklahoma State University
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Kansas
Cowgirls Clinch Spot at ITA National Team Indoor Championships with Win Over Kansas
January 26, 2019 | Cowgirl Tennis
STILLWATER – The Cowgirl tennis team secured its spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a 4-3 win over No. 16 Kansas in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend Championship on Saturday at the Greenwood Tennis Center. The team bounced back after dropping the doubles point to win four singles matches and defeat its third ranked opponent this season.
"I think this win is very important to give us more momentum, and I think that if we can perform well this next weekend, it will set us up well to go to the National Indoors," coach Chris Young said. "I think with the three wins that we have so far over top-20 teams should really position us well."
Senior Sofia Blanco's three-set match was the deciding factor for the Cowgirls. After winning her first set, she lost the second in a tight tiebreaker, before coming back to top No. 70 Nina Khmelnitckaia, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4.
Katarina Stresnakova and Marina Guinart also notched key singles wins for OSU. After falling behind, Guinart claimed the second singles victory over Malkia Ngounoue, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. Stresnakova picked up a ranked victory over Kansas' No. 34 Janet Koch in three sets as well.
"The first thing that comes to my mind is how proud I am of the girls," Young said. "They fought hard. It was a good team win, especially our seniors. Our seniors were able to finish their singles in three sets, so when it got tough those three really stepped up."
It took Lisa Marie Rioux only two sets to notch the Cowgirls' third singles win, 7-5, 6-3, over KU's Plobrung Plipeuch.
Freshman Bunyawi Thamchaiwat and sophomore Tamara Arnold lost matches for the first time at home this season to Anastasia Rychagova and Maria Toran Ribes, respectively.
The Cowgirls return to action next Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., before returning to Stillwater on Saturday for bouts with No. 8 UCLA.
Oklahoma State 4, Kansas 3
Doubles | Order of finish 2, 1
1. No. 5 Koch/Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. No. 28 Blanco/Gulihur (OSU) 6-4
2. No. 27 Rychagova/Smagina (KU) def. Rioux/Guinart (OSU)) 6-4
3. Arnold/Thamchaiwat (OSU) vs. Ngounoue/Smagina (KU) 6-6 unf.
Singles | Order of finish 4, 6, 2, 3, 1, 5
1. Anastasia Rychagova (KU) def. Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (OSU) 7-5, 7-5
2. No. 21 Katarina Stresnakova (OSU) def. No. 34 Janet Koch (KU) 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
3. Lisa Marie Rioux (OSU) def. Plobrung Plipuech (KU) 7-5, 6-3
4. No. 40 Marina Guinart (OSU) def. Malkia Ngounoue (KU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. No. 73 Sofia Blanco (OSU) def. No. 70 Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4
6. Maria Toran Ribes (KU) def. Tamara Arnold (OSU) 6-3, 7-6(4)
"I think this win is very important to give us more momentum, and I think that if we can perform well this next weekend, it will set us up well to go to the National Indoors," coach Chris Young said. "I think with the three wins that we have so far over top-20 teams should really position us well."
Senior Sofia Blanco's three-set match was the deciding factor for the Cowgirls. After winning her first set, she lost the second in a tight tiebreaker, before coming back to top No. 70 Nina Khmelnitckaia, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4.
Katarina Stresnakova and Marina Guinart also notched key singles wins for OSU. After falling behind, Guinart claimed the second singles victory over Malkia Ngounoue, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. Stresnakova picked up a ranked victory over Kansas' No. 34 Janet Koch in three sets as well.
"The first thing that comes to my mind is how proud I am of the girls," Young said. "They fought hard. It was a good team win, especially our seniors. Our seniors were able to finish their singles in three sets, so when it got tough those three really stepped up."
It took Lisa Marie Rioux only two sets to notch the Cowgirls' third singles win, 7-5, 6-3, over KU's Plobrung Plipeuch.
Freshman Bunyawi Thamchaiwat and sophomore Tamara Arnold lost matches for the first time at home this season to Anastasia Rychagova and Maria Toran Ribes, respectively.
The Cowgirls return to action next Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., before returning to Stillwater on Saturday for bouts with No. 8 UCLA.
Oklahoma State 4, Kansas 3
Doubles | Order of finish 2, 1
1. No. 5 Koch/Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. No. 28 Blanco/Gulihur (OSU) 6-4
2. No. 27 Rychagova/Smagina (KU) def. Rioux/Guinart (OSU)) 6-4
3. Arnold/Thamchaiwat (OSU) vs. Ngounoue/Smagina (KU) 6-6 unf.
Singles | Order of finish 4, 6, 2, 3, 1, 5
1. Anastasia Rychagova (KU) def. Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (OSU) 7-5, 7-5
2. No. 21 Katarina Stresnakova (OSU) def. No. 34 Janet Koch (KU) 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
3. Lisa Marie Rioux (OSU) def. Plobrung Plipuech (KU) 7-5, 6-3
4. No. 40 Marina Guinart (OSU) def. Malkia Ngounoue (KU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. No. 73 Sofia Blanco (OSU) def. No. 70 Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4
6. Maria Toran Ribes (KU) def. Tamara Arnold (OSU) 6-3, 7-6(4)
Players Mentioned
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
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