Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Tennis Advances to Sweet 16
May 10, 2015 | Cowgirl Tennis
STILLWATER -- The No. 12 Oklahoma State women's tennis team earned its spot in the NCAA Championships Sweet 16 after defeating 27th-ranked Arizona State in a 4-3 nail biter on Sunday afternoon at the Greenwood Tennis Center.
It is the first time since 1996 and the 12th time overall that the Cowgirls will make an appearance in the round of 16.
"It's amazing, I'm so proud of this team," coach Chris Young said. "This was our goal from the beginning of the season, to host and to make it to the Sweet Sixteen, and we did it. I told the girls it wasn't going to be easy and Arizona State played a great match, starting with the doubles. We knew we were going to have to bounce back in singles. I thought all the girls did it, even the girls who lost the first set really came back strong in the second set and extended the match there. Obviously if there's one person we want to have finishing a match it's Viktoriya [Lushkova]. It was our best versus their best and Viktoriya was able to come out on top. Great crowd, great day; I think this weekend was everything we hoped it would be in hosting."
The Cowgirls (23-5; 7-2 Big 12) dropped a close doubles point as Arizona State took wins on courts three and one, respectively. Maria Alvarez and Carla Tur Mari fell on court three to ASU's Panoho/Osborne duo, 8-1, but Vladica Babic and Katarina Adamovic recovered for the Pokes, knocking off No. 49 Jump and Smith, 8-3. The doubles point was decided on court one where the 12th-ranked Lushkova/Laurente team traded games with No. 26 Krawczyk and Vlad. The match was tied 6-all, but ASU's tandem pulled ahead to take the set, 8-6.
In singles, the Cowgirls battled hard, winning four matches to claim the team win.
No. 99 Babic represented the Cowgirls on court four, where she blazed through her match. The Cowgirl gave up only one game in singles, defeating Joanna Smith, 6-1, 6-0, to tie the team score at one. The freshman improves to 15-3 during the spring.
Shortly after, the Cowgirls took a 2-1 lead with a win on court three from junior Kelsey Laurente. She began the match exchanging games with ASU's Kassidy Jump but quickly pulled ahead, producing a 6-3 win in the first. She went on to claim an easy 6-1 second-set victory to close out her match.
Leading the Cowgirls to a 3-1 lead was junior Maria Alvarez, who picked up a straight-set win. Alvarez notched a big 6-2 win over Gussie O'Sullivan to start off competition on court six. She battled in a closer second set, but emerged victorious with a 7-5 win. The junior now leads the team in overall wins this year with 29.
The Sun Devils struck back on court two as Stephanie Vlad earned a 6-2, 7-5 win over Katarina Adamovic to cut the Cowgirl lead to 3-2.
Another win for ASU on court five tied it match at 3, with the decision coming down to action on court one.
Court one 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.
"Clinching the match was something really amazing," Lushkova said. "We all really wanted to get to the Sweet 16. After I was down 5-4 in the third set, I thought to myself that I wasn't going to give up this opportunity. Whatever it took, I was ready to win."
The Cowgirls improve to 3-5 this season after losing the doubles point.
OSU will face fifth-seeded Florida in the Round of 16 on May 15 at 4 p.m. at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.
No. 12 Oklahoma State 4, No. 27 Arizona State 3
May 10, 2015 :: Stillwater, Okla. (Greenwood Tennis Center) :: NCAA Second Round
Doubles | Order of finish: 3,2,1
1. #26 Krawczyk/ Vlad (ASU) def. #12 Lushkova/ Laurente (OSU) 8-6
2. Adamovic/ Babic (OSU) def. #49 Jump/ Smith (ASU) 8-3
3. Osborne/ Panoho (ASU) def. Tur Mari/ Alvarez (OSU) 8-1
Singles | Order of finish: 4,3,6,2,5,1*
1. #17 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) def. #30 Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
2. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Kelsey Laurente (OSU) def. Kassidy Jump (ASU) 6-3, 6-1
4. #99 Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Joanna Smith (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Carla Tur Mari (OSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
6. Maria Alvarez (OSU) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) 6-2, 7-5
It is the first time since 1996 and the 12th time overall that the Cowgirls will make an appearance in the round of 16.
"It's amazing, I'm so proud of this team," coach Chris Young said. "This was our goal from the beginning of the season, to host and to make it to the Sweet Sixteen, and we did it. I told the girls it wasn't going to be easy and Arizona State played a great match, starting with the doubles. We knew we were going to have to bounce back in singles. I thought all the girls did it, even the girls who lost the first set really came back strong in the second set and extended the match there. Obviously if there's one person we want to have finishing a match it's Viktoriya [Lushkova]. It was our best versus their best and Viktoriya was able to come out on top. Great crowd, great day; I think this weekend was everything we hoped it would be in hosting."
The Cowgirls (23-5; 7-2 Big 12) dropped a close doubles point as Arizona State took wins on courts three and one, respectively. Maria Alvarez and Carla Tur Mari fell on court three to ASU's Panoho/Osborne duo, 8-1, but Vladica Babic and Katarina Adamovic recovered for the Pokes, knocking off No. 49 Jump and Smith, 8-3. The doubles point was decided on court one where the 12th-ranked Lushkova/Laurente team traded games with No. 26 Krawczyk and Vlad. The match was tied 6-all, but ASU's tandem pulled ahead to take the set, 8-6.
In singles, the Cowgirls battled hard, winning four matches to claim the team win.
No. 99 Babic represented the Cowgirls on court four, where she blazed through her match. The Cowgirl gave up only one game in singles, defeating Joanna Smith, 6-1, 6-0, to tie the team score at one. The freshman improves to 15-3 during the spring.
Shortly after, the Cowgirls took a 2-1 lead with a win on court three from junior Kelsey Laurente. She began the match exchanging games with ASU's Kassidy Jump but quickly pulled ahead, producing a 6-3 win in the first. She went on to claim an easy 6-1 second-set victory to close out her match.
Leading the Cowgirls to a 3-1 lead was junior Maria Alvarez, who picked up a straight-set win. Alvarez notched a big 6-2 win over Gussie O'Sullivan to start off competition on court six. She battled in a closer second set, but emerged victorious with a 7-5 win. The junior now leads the team in overall wins this year with 29.
The Sun Devils struck back on court two as Stephanie Vlad earned a 6-2, 7-5 win over Katarina Adamovic to cut the Cowgirl lead to 3-2.
Another win for ASU on court five tied it match at 3, with the decision coming down to action on court one.
Court one 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.
"Clinching the match was something really amazing," Lushkova said. "We all really wanted to get to the Sweet 16. After I was down 5-4 in the third set, I thought to myself that I wasn't going to give up this opportunity. Whatever it took, I was ready to win."
The Cowgirls improve to 3-5 this season after losing the doubles point.
OSU will face fifth-seeded Florida in the Round of 16 on May 15 at 4 p.m. at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.
No. 12 Oklahoma State 4, No. 27 Arizona State 3
May 10, 2015 :: Stillwater, Okla. (Greenwood Tennis Center) :: NCAA Second Round
Doubles | Order of finish: 3,2,1
1. #26 Krawczyk/ Vlad (ASU) def. #12 Lushkova/ Laurente (OSU) 8-6
2. Adamovic/ Babic (OSU) def. #49 Jump/ Smith (ASU) 8-3
3. Osborne/ Panoho (ASU) def. Tur Mari/ Alvarez (OSU) 8-1
Singles | Order of finish: 4,3,6,2,5,1*
1. #17 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) def. #30 Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
2. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Kelsey Laurente (OSU) def. Kassidy Jump (ASU) 6-3, 6-1
4. #99 Vladica Babic (OSU) def. Joanna Smith (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Carla Tur Mari (OSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2)
6. Maria Alvarez (OSU) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) 6-2, 7-5
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