Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Prepare For Big 12 Championships
April 24, 2013 | Cowboy Tennis
April 24, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. -
Oklahoma State's men's tennis team will travel to Norman, Okla. to take on No. 19 Texas on Friday at noon in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Big 12 Championships.
The Cowboys received the No. 6 seed after recording a 0-5 record in Big 12 play, while a 3-2 mark earned the Longhorns the tournament's No. 3 seed. In the teams' conference matchup on April 7, Texas swept Oklahoma State, 7-0.
With a victory, OSU would move on to play in-state rival and top-seeded Oklahoma on Saturday. Fans can follow @CowboyTennis on Twitter for live match scores and updated information.
Big 12 Tournament History
Oklahoma State has yet to win a Big 12 title during the conference's 15-year tournament history. However, the Cowboys have reached the tournament semifinals in nine out of 15 years, reaching the final in 2003 and 2005. Last season, the Cowboys were defeated in the first round by third-seeded Baylor, 4-0.
Eyeing the Opposition
The 19th-ranked Texas Longhorns accumulated a 15-7 overall record in 2013, with a 3-2 mark in Big 12 play. The squad is led by Soren Hess-Olsen, who checked in at No. 38 in this week's ITA Singles Rankings.
The Cowboys are 3-22 all-time against Texas, with OSU's last win coming in 2007. The teams have faced off three times in the Big 12 tournament, with Texas winning two of the three.
Last Time Out
No 13. Oklahoma 5, Oklahoma State 2
April 21, 2013 | Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center
Doubles
1. #31 Paval/Webb (OU) def. Biktyakov/Campbell (OSU), 8-4
2. #74 Alcorta/Alvarez Llamas (OU) def. Del Nunzio/Pume (OSU), 9-8 (7-1)
3. Bohrnstedt/Haworth (OSU) def. Formentera/Stakhovsky (OU), 9-7
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. #19 Costin Paval (OU) def. Rifat Biktyakov (OSU), 6-0, 1-0 (forfeit)
2. Chris Haworth def. #54 Guillermo Alcorta (OSU), 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4)
3. Axel Alvarez Llamas (OU) def. Denys Pume (OSU), 6-0, 6-1
4. #63 Dane Webb (OU) def. Richard Del Nunzio (OSU), 6-3, 6-2
5. Brady Bohrnstedt (OSU) def. Leonard Stakhovsky (OU), 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3)
6. Harry Warden (OU) def. Oleksiy Arovin (OSU), 6-2, 3-6, 4-3 (forfeit)
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6
International Influx
Much of the Cowboys' early season success can be attributed to the team's large percentage of international players recruited by Jay Udwadia and Yevgen Bondarchuk.
Those internationals include three Cowboy newcomers who have helped the Cowboys match their best start since 2009.
- Oleksiy Arovin (Ukraine): 5-5 singles record at No. 6…6-1 doubles record at No. 3 with Brady Bohrnstedt…Joined the Cowboys this year after previously playing at Donetsk National University in Ukraine.
- Rifat Biktyakov (Uzbekistan): 10-4 doubles record at Nos. 1 and 2 with Matt Campbell…Recorded match-winning victory against Nebraska…Has accumulated a 40-31 overall singles record in four years with Oklahoma State.
- Matt Campbell (Australia): 10-4 doubles record at Nos. 1 and 2…Joined OSU after reaching the JUCO national championship with Tyler Junior College in 2011 and 2012.
- Denys Pume (Ukraine): 9-13 singles record at Nos. 2, 3 and 4…11-6 doubles record at Nos. 1 and 2.
Doubles Domination
In 18 of 24 matches this season, the Cowboys have gained an early lead by winning each match's doubles point. After being swept in the season opener by 19th-ranked Tennessee, the Cowboys won 32 straight doubles matches before falling at SMU on March 30. The biggest contributors to that category are Denys Pume and Richard Del Nunzio, who have achieved an 11-6 mark together in doubles play.
