Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Edge Illini, 4-3
March 19, 2013 | Cowgirl Tennis
March 19, 2013
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -
Oklahoma State's women's tennis team notched its eighth win of the season on Tuesday with a 4-3 victory over 47th-ranked Illinois.
No. 35 Oklahoma State (8-3) took the early lead after winning the doubles point with two big wins on courts one and two. Malika Rose and Kanyapat Narattana took down the 17th-ranked doubles team in the nation in Melissa Kopinski and Rachael White, 8-6, to start off doubles play. Cowgirls Meghan Blevins and Karyn Guttormsen would clinch the point for Oklahoma State when they won their match, despite falling down 5-1 in the tiebreaker.
Illinois tied the match at one in singles play when Allison Falkin defeated Malika Rose, 6-0, 6-3 in the one spot. The Cowgirls responded by adding two straight set wins from Meghan Blevins and Karyn Guttormsen on courts two and six, respectively, to bring the Cowgirl lead to two.
The Illini would add another point to their score before the match was clinched for the Cowgirls, however. Misia Kedzierski of Illinois defeated Kanyapat Narattana, 6-2, 7-5. The match was clinched for the Cowgirls when C.C. Sardinha stormed back from losing her first set to take the match, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0, on the third court.
The final point of the match was awarded to Illinois after Maria Alvarez retired on court four.
“I'm proud of the way we competed today,” Cowgirl tennis coach Chris Young said. “Illinois played a good match and made every match tough for us, but our girls found a way to get it done, and I'm proud of that.”
Oklahoma State will return to the Del Mar Country Club on Thursday to take on No. 12 Nebraska at 2 p.m. CT.
Oklahoma State 4, Illinois 3
March 19, 2013 | Del Mar Country Club | San Diego, Calif.
Doubles | 1,3,2
No. 1 – Malika Rose/Kanyapat Narattana (OSU) def. No. 17 Melissa Kopinski/ Rachael White (ILL) 8-6
No. 2 – Meghan Blevins/Karyn Guttormsen (OSU) def. Audrey O'Connor/Bre Smutko (ILL) 9-8(6)
No. 3 – Misia Kedzierski/Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Maria Alvarez/C.C. Sardinha (OSU) 8-6
Singles | Order of finish: 1,2,6,5,3,4
No. 1 – Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Malika Rose (OSU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 2 – Meghan Blevins (OSU) def. No. 109 Melissa Kopinski (ILL) 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 – C.C. Sardinha (OSU) def. Rachael White (ILL) 1-6, 6-4, 6-0
No. 4 – Bre Smutko (ILL) def. Maria Alvarez (OSU) 7-6(4), 2-1, ret.
No. 5 – Misia Kedzierski (ILL) def. Kanyapat Narattana (OSU) 6-2, 7-5
No. 6 – Karyn Guttormsen (OSU) def. Julia Jamieson (ILL) 6-4, 6-2
