Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Tennis Season Review
June 08, 2015 | Cowgirl Tennis
The 2014-15 Oklahoma State women's tennis team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in recent history, thanks to an incredibly talented lineup and coaching staff.The season brought about many firsts for the program, including the highest team, single and doubles rankings, the Cowgirls first appearance at the ITA Indoor Championships, the chance to host an NCAA regional in Stillwater and their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1996.
"Overall this was a successful season that saw this team set several records, and that is something these girls should be proud of," coach Chris Young said.
To kick off the fall, the Cowgirls hosted the ITA Central Region Championships at the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center. The event's singles final pitted Cowgirl against Cowgirl as returning All-American Viktoriya Lushkova took on freshman and Montenegro native Vladica Babic. Lushkova beat out the freshman in two sets, 6-4, 6-2, to earn OSU its second-consecutive ITA Central Region single champion. The case was similar for the doubles title as Lushkova and partner Kelsey Laurente, a transfer from the University of Miami, went up against teammates Babic and sophomore Katarina Adamovic. Lushkova and Laurente took the match in very close third-set tiebreaker. They became the first Cowgirl duo to win the event. They went on to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship in New York City, where Lushkova made it to the quarterfinals of singles and she and Laurente made an appearance in the doubles semifinals.
The Cowgirls saw other success in the fall as Adamovic won the singles bracket of the Dickie V Classic and Carla Tur Mari won the consolation bracket at the event.
The momentum continued into the fall as the squad hosted its first two dual matches in mid-January at home, where they earned 7-0 shut outs over San Jose State and Louisiana Tech, respectively.
The next weekend, the Pokes traveled to Atlanta, Ga., to compete in the ITA Kickoff Weekend event. It was a four-team bracket hosted by Georgia Tech University. In their first match, OSU took on conference foe and 29th-ranked Texas Tech, whom the squad handily defeated, 4-2, pushing the team to the next round, where host and 18th-ranked Georgia Tech awaited them. The Pokes showed no fear and knocked off the Yellow Jackets, 4-3. The win sent the Cowgirls to the ITA Team Indoor Championship for the first time in program history.
At the Team Indoor Championships, OSU saw tough competition in No. 3 North Carolina, No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Vanderbilt. The Cowgirls suffered tough losses to the Tar Heels and Tide, but finished the tournament strong with a 4-2 beating against Vanderbilt, a team that went on to win the 2015 NCAA Championship.
The Pokes continued the season with a competitive spirit, taking out 14 ranked opponents during the spring. The Cowgirls also boasted 10 wins over Big 12 opponents, including two victories over big-time rival Oklahoma, who they shut out in both meetings.
Following the first match against OU, the squad earned its highest team ranking in school history as it was tabbed as the No. 8 team in the nation on March 8.
The Cowgirls wrapped up a dominant home season, compiling a 13-1 record at the Greenwood Tennis Center. In addition to the magnificent home record, the Cowgirls outscored their opponents at home, 62-9, surrendering only nine team points on the season. The Cowgirls had key home victories against Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona State.
OSU performed just as well on the road this season, stringing together a 5-1 record in true road matches and a 5-4 mark at neutral sites. The Cowgirls finished 10-5 in matches away from the Greenwood Tennis Center.
Oklahoma State also has produced 15 shut outs this season in its 23 wins. The Cowgirls finished the season just as fiercely as they started it, shutting out the opponent in seven of their final ten matches.
The Cowgirls headed to Waco, Texas, for the Big 12 Championships with their eyes on the trophy, but they fell just short with a semifinals loss to the Raiders in the two teams' rubber match. In the first round of the tournament, the Cowgirls took out Kansas, 4-0.
Maintaining a top-16 spot in the rankings throughout the season, the Cowgirls had a good shot to make their fourth-straight NCAA appearance and host their first NCAA tournament regional in Stillwater, which they did, bringing in Boston University, No. 39 Arkansas and No. 27 Arizona State. OSU had no problem getting through the first round as they dominated the Boston U. Terriers, 4-0.
Waiting on them in the second round was Arizona State. The match served as one of the most dramatic moments at the Greenwood Tennis Facility. The Sun Devils edged the Pokes in doubles as all three courts were very closely contested. In singles, Babic and Laurente picked up singles wins to give OSU a 2-1 advantage. The two teams were eventually tied at 3-all as Maria Alvarez won her match and Adamovic and Tur Mari dropped their matches. It was all decided on court one, which featured a match that came down to the wire as No. 17 Lushkova took on No. 30 Desirae Krawczyk. The Sun Devil snatched the first set over the Cowgirl, 6-4. Lushkova bounced back strong, producing a 6-2 win in the second set to force the match to a third. In the final set, the two traded breaks to bring the score to 5-all. Lushkova tallied another break over Krawczyk to lead 6-5 with a chance to serve. The Cowgirl did not disappoint, earning a 7-5 third-set win and securing the Cowgirls spot in the Sweet 16.
OSU traveled back to Waco for their Sweet 16 matchup against fifth-seeded Florida. Due to heavy rain, the match was moved to Dallas at the SMU Tennis Complex. The Cowgirls dropped a 4-0 match to the Gators, but the score did not reflect the match's competitiveness.
The squad finished the season as the 12th-ranked team in the nation and a 23-6 record, marking the first 20-win season since 2001.
Fans of the Cowgirl Tennis team helped push the squad to another recognition as OSU was ranked sixth nationally in attendance, according to the ITA.
"I am thankful to our fans for their support," Young said. "To be sixth nationally in overall attendance says a lot about the support our girls receive from our fans and their investment in our program. I am excited to continue to build on the momentum we built this season in that area."
The success for the Cowgirls in 2015 not only came as a unit but also on an individual level.
Alvarez led the team in wins with 29. During her outstanding season, the junior notched her 50th career win. She finished the year with a 65-29 career record. Also recording her 50th win was fellow Spaniard Tur Mari.
Two Cowgirls earned Big 12 annual honors as Lushkova was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, a title she shared with Ema Burgic of Baylor, and Laurente was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Lushkova was also named to the All-Big 12 singles team for the second year in a row. She was joined by teammate Katarina Adamovic, who earned the honor for the first time. Two Cowgirl duos were named to the All-Big 12 doubles team in Lushkova and Laurente and Adamovic and Babic.
Two Cowgirls were selected for the NCAA Individual Championships. Lushkova--who was once ranked as high as No. 10, making her the highest ranked Cowgirl in school history--earned her way to her second-straight singles tournament appearance, but fell in the round of 32. She did go on to earn All-America status as she finished the season ranked in the top 20 in singles. Lushkova became only the second Cowgirl to earn two career singles All-America honors.
Lushkova also teamed up with partner Laurente for the doubles tournament. The duo fell in the first round, but saw a lot of success throughout the season as they also achieved the highest doubles ranking in program history, when they were named No. 3 in the nation.
The 2014-15 season also served as a farewell tour for Karyn Guttormsen, the lone senior on the team.
Success also came in the classroom as two Cowgirls were named to the All-Big 12 Academic squads in Lushkova and Tur Mari.
The coaching staff was also recognized for their excellence on the court as Young was named ITA Central Region Coach of the Year. Coaching by his side, Courtney Steinbock received ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
"The exciting thing about this team is that all but one are returning next season," Young said. "The experiences we shared together will help us become a stronger team next season."
"Overall this was a successful season that saw this team set several records, and that is something these girls should be proud of," coach Chris Young said.
To kick off the fall, the Cowgirls hosted the ITA Central Region Championships at the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center. The event's singles final pitted Cowgirl against Cowgirl as returning All-American Viktoriya Lushkova took on freshman and Montenegro native Vladica Babic. Lushkova beat out the freshman in two sets, 6-4, 6-2, to earn OSU its second-consecutive ITA Central Region single champion. The case was similar for the doubles title as Lushkova and partner Kelsey Laurente, a transfer from the University of Miami, went up against teammates Babic and sophomore Katarina Adamovic. Lushkova and Laurente took the match in very close third-set tiebreaker. They became the first Cowgirl duo to win the event. They went on to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship in New York City, where Lushkova made it to the quarterfinals of singles and she and Laurente made an appearance in the doubles semifinals.
The Cowgirls saw other success in the fall as Adamovic won the singles bracket of the Dickie V Classic and Carla Tur Mari won the consolation bracket at the event.
The momentum continued into the fall as the squad hosted its first two dual matches in mid-January at home, where they earned 7-0 shut outs over San Jose State and Louisiana Tech, respectively.
The next weekend, the Pokes traveled to Atlanta, Ga., to compete in the ITA Kickoff Weekend event. It was a four-team bracket hosted by Georgia Tech University. In their first match, OSU took on conference foe and 29th-ranked Texas Tech, whom the squad handily defeated, 4-2, pushing the team to the next round, where host and 18th-ranked Georgia Tech awaited them. The Pokes showed no fear and knocked off the Yellow Jackets, 4-3. The win sent the Cowgirls to the ITA Team Indoor Championship for the first time in program history.
At the Team Indoor Championships, OSU saw tough competition in No. 3 North Carolina, No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Vanderbilt. The Cowgirls suffered tough losses to the Tar Heels and Tide, but finished the tournament strong with a 4-2 beating against Vanderbilt, a team that went on to win the 2015 NCAA Championship.
The Pokes continued the season with a competitive spirit, taking out 14 ranked opponents during the spring. The Cowgirls also boasted 10 wins over Big 12 opponents, including two victories over big-time rival Oklahoma, who they shut out in both meetings.
Following the first match against OU, the squad earned its highest team ranking in school history as it was tabbed as the No. 8 team in the nation on March 8.
The Cowgirls wrapped up a dominant home season, compiling a 13-1 record at the Greenwood Tennis Center. In addition to the magnificent home record, the Cowgirls outscored their opponents at home, 62-9, surrendering only nine team points on the season. The Cowgirls had key home victories against Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona State.
OSU performed just as well on the road this season, stringing together a 5-1 record in true road matches and a 5-4 mark at neutral sites. The Cowgirls finished 10-5 in matches away from the Greenwood Tennis Center.
Oklahoma State also has produced 15 shut outs this season in its 23 wins. The Cowgirls finished the season just as fiercely as they started it, shutting out the opponent in seven of their final ten matches.
The Cowgirls headed to Waco, Texas, for the Big 12 Championships with their eyes on the trophy, but they fell just short with a semifinals loss to the Raiders in the two teams' rubber match. In the first round of the tournament, the Cowgirls took out Kansas, 4-0.
Maintaining a top-16 spot in the rankings throughout the season, the Cowgirls had a good shot to make their fourth-straight NCAA appearance and host their first NCAA tournament regional in Stillwater, which they did, bringing in Boston University, No. 39 Arkansas and No. 27 Arizona State. OSU had no problem getting through the first round as they dominated the Boston U. Terriers, 4-0.
Waiting on them in the second round was Arizona State. The match served as one of the most dramatic moments at the Greenwood Tennis Facility. The Sun Devils edged the Pokes in doubles as all three courts were very closely contested. In singles, Babic and Laurente picked up singles wins to give OSU a 2-1 advantage. The two teams were eventually tied at 3-all as Maria Alvarez won her match and Adamovic and Tur Mari dropped their matches. It was all decided on court one, which featured a match that came down to the wire as No. 17 Lushkova took on No. 30 Desirae Krawczyk. The Sun Devil snatched the first set over the Cowgirl, 6-4. Lushkova bounced back strong, producing a 6-2 win in the second set to force the match to a third. In the final set, the two traded breaks to bring the score to 5-all. Lushkova tallied another break over Krawczyk to lead 6-5 with a chance to serve. The Cowgirl did not disappoint, earning a 7-5 third-set win and securing the Cowgirls spot in the Sweet 16.
OSU traveled back to Waco for their Sweet 16 matchup against fifth-seeded Florida. Due to heavy rain, the match was moved to Dallas at the SMU Tennis Complex. The Cowgirls dropped a 4-0 match to the Gators, but the score did not reflect the match's competitiveness.
The squad finished the season as the 12th-ranked team in the nation and a 23-6 record, marking the first 20-win season since 2001.
Fans of the Cowgirl Tennis team helped push the squad to another recognition as OSU was ranked sixth nationally in attendance, according to the ITA.
"I am thankful to our fans for their support," Young said. "To be sixth nationally in overall attendance says a lot about the support our girls receive from our fans and their investment in our program. I am excited to continue to build on the momentum we built this season in that area."
The success for the Cowgirls in 2015 not only came as a unit but also on an individual level.
Alvarez led the team in wins with 29. During her outstanding season, the junior notched her 50th career win. She finished the year with a 65-29 career record. Also recording her 50th win was fellow Spaniard Tur Mari.
Two Cowgirls earned Big 12 annual honors as Lushkova was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, a title she shared with Ema Burgic of Baylor, and Laurente was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Lushkova was also named to the All-Big 12 singles team for the second year in a row. She was joined by teammate Katarina Adamovic, who earned the honor for the first time. Two Cowgirl duos were named to the All-Big 12 doubles team in Lushkova and Laurente and Adamovic and Babic.
Two Cowgirls were selected for the NCAA Individual Championships. Lushkova--who was once ranked as high as No. 10, making her the highest ranked Cowgirl in school history--earned her way to her second-straight singles tournament appearance, but fell in the round of 32. She did go on to earn All-America status as she finished the season ranked in the top 20 in singles. Lushkova became only the second Cowgirl to earn two career singles All-America honors.
Lushkova also teamed up with partner Laurente for the doubles tournament. The duo fell in the first round, but saw a lot of success throughout the season as they also achieved the highest doubles ranking in program history, when they were named No. 3 in the nation.
The 2014-15 season also served as a farewell tour for Karyn Guttormsen, the lone senior on the team.
Success also came in the classroom as two Cowgirls were named to the All-Big 12 Academic squads in Lushkova and Tur Mari.
The coaching staff was also recognized for their excellence on the court as Young was named ITA Central Region Coach of the Year. Coaching by his side, Courtney Steinbock received ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
"The exciting thing about this team is that all but one are returning next season," Young said. "The experiences we shared together will help us become a stronger team next season."
Players Mentioned
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
/ Cowgirl Tennis
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
