Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Netters Open Conference Slate Against Ranked Opponents
March 25, 2009 | Cowboy Tennis
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State Cowboy tennis team will open Big 12 conference play this weekend against Texas on Friday and Texas A&M on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to start at 2 p.m. at the DeBois Tennis Complex in Stillwater.
No. 29 Oklahoma State vs. No. 12 Texas – March 27 at 2 p.m.
The No. 29 Cowboys (7-3) will open conference play against Texas (12-3). Texas is ranked No. 12 in the latest Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings. The Longhorns have been ranked as high as No. 2 this season. Friday's match will be the first Big 12 match for Texas.
Stellar Singles
Second-ranked Oleksandr Nedovyesov will again lead the Cowboys in singles. He will likely face No. 19 Dimitar Kutrovsky for Texas at No. 1 singles. Kutrovsky is 11-4 on the spring. Nedovyesov is 8-1 and is riding a seven-match winning streak. The two have squared off three times, with Nedovyesov holding a 2-1 edge.
Tough Doubles
The No. 19 team of Nedovyesov and Nathan Byrnes are likely to face the No. 23 duo of Kellen Damico and Ed Corrie at No. 1 doubles. The teams have met only once, with Nedovyesov and Byrnes scoring an 8-2 win on March 28, 2009. Texas also boasts the No. 20 doubles team of Kutrovsky and Josh Zavala. The two will likely play at No. 2 doubles and square off with OSU's Mikhail Trukshanin and Igor Sobolta.
Similar Schedule
The Longhorns have not lost to a team ranked outside the ITA top 10. Texas and OSU have played three of the same opponents. UT downed Florida State 4-2, a team that OSU lost to 4-3. The Cowboys beat Arkansas 4-1 and the Longhorns beat Arkansas 5-2. OSU dealt Vanderbilt a 4-3 loss, while the Longhorns beat the Commodores 5-2.
No. 29 Oklahoma State vs. No. 14 Texas A&M – March 29 at 2 p.m.
OSU will close its weekend scheduled with against Texas A&M. The No. 14 Aggies are 8-5 and are scheduled to open Big 12 play against Oklahoma on Friday. Texas A&M is on a three-match winning streak, including wins over No. 8 Southern California and No. 9 Illinois.
More Stellar Singles
Cowboy junior Nedovyesov will likely face another tough customer Sunday in No. 16 Conor Pollock. He is 7-6 on the spring and he and Nedovyesov have faced twice. Nedovyesov is 2-0 in his career against Pollock.
More Tough Doubles
The Cowboy duo of Nedovyesov and Byrnes will likely face stiff competition at No. 1 doubles against the third-ranked team of Pollock and Austin Kraijcek. The Aggie duo is 12-1 on the season. Nedovyesov and Byrnes are 5-2.
Weekend Wrap-up
The Cowboys traveled to the Blue Gray Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala. last week. After a 4-1 win in the first round over Fresno State, OSU fell 4-2 to Auburn and was eliminated by Texas Tech 4-1.
