Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Fall in Bedlam Marathon, 4-3
April 14, 2005 | Cowgirl Tennis
Oklahoma State's women's tennis team battled No. 69 Oklahoma in the 2005 Bedlam match-up for over five hours before falling, 4-3, in front of 134 fans at the DeBois Tennis Center in Stillwater on Wednesday.
“We knew coming into the match today that it would be close and that it would probably come down to the doubles match,” said head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski. “Both teams fought incredibly hard and unfortunately we came up just short.”
The Sooners (13-8, 3-4) jumped out to a quick lead, winning 8-2 at No. 2 doubles. The Cowgirls (6-13, 2-6) roared back, winning No. 1 doubles 8-6.
Sophomores Lauren Simmons and Jennifer Poskitt fell behind at No. 3 doubles, 4-7 before storming back to take an 8-7 lead. Heather Saluri and Christy Greenly regained the lead and held on to claim the doubles point for OU, 9-8 (5).
Freshman Jessica Collins evened the team score after quickly defeating Christi Baxley at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-3. Freshman Iryna Tkachenko followed suit, downing Irina Lykina in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to give OSU a 2-1 lead.
“Our freshman responded very well in their first Bedlam match,” Lubicz-Majewski said. “Every one of our girls played extremely hard. Nobody wanted to lose today and everybody really picked up their games.”
OU reclaimed the lead after picking up victories at the No. 6 and 2 singles positions, respectively.
Simmons evened the team score at 3-3 after defeating Bethany Griffin at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in a match that lasted 3 hours.
Poskitt battled back after trailing 4-1 in the third set, but was unable to overcome OU senior Jessica Braver, falling 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.
“This is the kind of effort that you want to get when you are coaching a team that is as young as ours is,” Lubicz-Majewski said. “If we are put in this position again, I know that our girls will come out on top. Now we just have to work hard and prepare for this weekend's matches.”
The Cowgirls return to action on Friday when they square off against No. 60 Texas Tech (7-11, 4-5) at
Singles
1. No. 79 Iryna Tkachenko (OSU) def. Irina Lykina (OU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Heather Saluri (OU) def. Zana Masnic (OSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
3. Lauren Simmons (OSU) def. Bethany Griffin (OU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
4. Jessica Braver (OU) def. Jennifer Poskitt (OSU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5
5. Jessica Collins (OSU) def. Christi Baxley (OU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Christy Greenly (OU) def. Sandra Blajer (OSU) 7-6, 6-1
Doubles
1. Masnic/Tkachenko (OSU) def. Lykina/Braver (OU) 8-6
2. Baxley/Griffin (OU) def. Blajer/Collins (OSU) 8-2
3. Saluri/Greenly (OU) def. Poskitt/Simmons (OSU) 9-8(5)
