Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Tennis Opens Season with Victory
February 05, 2007 | Cowgirl Tennis
Oklahoma State's 45h-ranked women's tennis team opened the 2007 season with a, 6-1, victory over the Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock (3-4) on Saturday at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa.
“I think we were a little nervous because it was the first match,” head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski. “We lost some of the first sets but I was proud of how those girls bounced back.”
The Cowgirls got the early lead after sweeping the doubles point from UALR.
Freshman Natalia Shatkovskaya had an impressive start to her dual career as she quickly put away Zakrzynska, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 3 singles
The Cowgirls pushed the dual score to 3-0 with an impressive outing from junior Iryna Tkachenko as she downed Outi Jarvinen, 6-2, 7-3, at the top of the lineup.
While OSU had a 3-0 lead, the dual was far from over as the rest of the Cowgirl's victories would come in three sets.
UALR got on the scoreboard when Particia Cortes defeated senior Jennifer Poskitt, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.
O-State clinched the win at No. 2 singles with a win by Yawna Allen. After losing the first set, 7-5, to Ouito Jarvinen the junior took control of the match and won the last two sets, 6-4, 6-1.
It was the same story at No. 4 singles where Lauren Simmons dropped the first set to Hollie Robinson, 6-4. It was all Simmons from that point as the senior bounced back to take the final two sets, 6-0, 6-2.
At No. 6 singles, Jessica Collins defeated Marta Gomez-Jordan in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 9-6, to give the Cowgirl's a 6-1 victory.
“It always feels good to get that first win,” Lubicz-Majewski said. “You have to give Arkansas-Little Rock credit. They did not play well yesterday (against Tulsa) but bounced back and played us tough today.”
The Cowgirls will be back in action on Sunday when the play No. 64 Fresno State at 9 a.m. in Tulsa.
No. 45 OSU 6 (1-0), Arkansas-Little Rock 1 (3-4)
2/3/2006 Michael D. Case Tennis Center
Tulsa, Okla.
Singles
No. 1- Tkachenko (OSU) def. Hirdle (UALR); 6-2, 6-3
No. 2- Allen (OSU) def. Jarvinen (UALR); 5-7, 6-4, 6-1
No. 3- Shatkovskaya (OSU) def. Zakrzynska (UALR); 6-2, 6-2
No. 4- Simmons (OSU) def. Robinson (UALR); 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
No. 5- Cortes (UALR) def. Poskitt (OSU); 6-4, 6-4
No. 6- Collins (OSU) def. Gomez-Jordan (UALR); 3-6, 6-4, 9-6
Doubles
No. 1- Allen/Shatkovskaya (OSU) def. Hirdle/Gomez-Jordan (UALR); 8-2
No. 2- Simmons/Tkachenko (OSU) def. Jarvinen/Robinson (UALR); 8-4
No. 3- Tsivka/Poskitt (OSU) def. Zakrzynska/Cortex (UALR); 9-7
Order of finish: D1, D2, D3, S3, S1, S5, S2*, S4, S6
*Clinched match
