Cowgirl Tennis Drops Sooners, Advances to Big 12 Semis

Thursday, April 26

Austin, TX

3 P.M.

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma

Photo by: Bruce Waterfield

April 27, 2018 | Cowgirl Tennis

AUSTIN, Texas – The seventh-ranked Oklahoma State women's tennis team clinched its sixth-straight Big 12 semifinal appearance on Friday afternoon, dropping Bedlam rival Oklahoma in a 4-1 match at the Texas Tennis Center.

"I thought our team competed really well today," head coach Chris Young said. "I thought we got challenged in some spots…In doubles, being down, 5-3, and coming back to win, 7-5. I thought No. 3 was good. Give a lot of credit to Sami (Court) and Megan (McCray) for the improvement they've made.

"I thought we took care of business in singles. A lot of credit to (Vladica Babic), coming out and winning her first set, 6-0, in the No. 1 spot is never easy. Her and Megan set the tone, and just across the board we competed well today."

The Cowgirls (19-3) advance to play third-seeded Texas Tech on Saturday at 3 p.m. for a spot in the Big 12 title match.

OSU took the doubles point thanks to a dominant display from Katarina Stresnakova and Marina Guinart on court two and a late push from Vladica Babic and Sofia Blanco on court one. It marked the Cowgirls' third-straight doubles point win.

Stresnakova and Guinart were all over the Sooner tandem of Lily Miyazaki and Malene Stripp from the opening serve, starting by taking the match's first two games. After a hold from Oklahoma, the Cowgirl duo pulled away by winning the next four games to lock up the 6-1 decision. The victory pushed Stresnakova and Guinart's record on the season to 19-10.

Babic and Blanco tallied their 11^th-straight win in a 7-5 win over Christiana Brigante and Jasmine Asghar at No. 1 doubles. The Cowgirl tandem overcame a late, 5-3, deficit to come back and clinch the point for OSU. Ranked No. 13 in the nation, Babic and Blanco are 25-7 overall this season and 14-2 in duals.

The Cowgirls carried their momentum into singles play, setting the tone by taking five first sets before closing out the Sooners with straight-set wins on courts one, two and four.

After Oklahoma tied the score with a 6-2, 6-0 win over OSU's Sami Court on court six, Megan McCray regained the lead for the Cowgirls in a 6-1, 6-2 tally over Jasmine Asghar. It marked the senior's 12^th-straight win and pushed her record to 16-1 this season.

Shortly after McCray walked off the court, Vladica Babic closed out No. 39 Lily Miyazaki in a dominant, 6-0, 6-4 victory. It was Babic's 25^th overall win of the season and pushed her record this season against ranked opponents to 11-6.

Marina Guinart closed out the win for the Cowgirls in a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Camila Romero at No. 4. Guinart opened the match in a 4-1 hole, but won five-straight games to take the set before finally closing it out in the second. Guinart is 24-8 overall this season and 14-2 in dual matches.

As the match was suspended, Blanco was within a game of clinching her match on No. 5, and Stresnakova was tied at four in the second set.

No. 7 Oklahoma State 4, Oklahoma 1
April 27, 2018 | Texas Tennis Center | Austin, Texas

Doubles | Order of finish, 2,1
1. #13 Vladica Babic/Sofia Blanco (OKST) def. Christiana Brigante/Jasmine Asghar (OU) 7-5
2. Marina Guinart/Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. Lily Miyazaki/Malene Stripp (OU) 6-1
3. Megan McCray/Sami Court (OKST) vs. Simran Kaur Sethi/Camila Romero (OU) 5-5, unfinished

Singles | Order of finish: 6,2,1,4
1. #20 Vladica Babic (OKST) def. #39 Lily Miyazaki (OU) 6-0, 6-4
2. #34 Megan McCray (OKST) def. Jasmine Asghar (OU) 6-1, 6-2
3. #112 Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) vs. Christiana Brigante (OU) 6-3, 4-4, unfinished
4. Marina Guinart (OKST) def. Camila Romero (OU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Sofia Blanco (OKST) vs. Malene Stripp (OU) 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
6. Simran Kaur Sethi (OU) def. Sami Court (OKST) 6-2, 6-0