Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, February 18
Gainesville, FL
3 P.M.
Oklahoma State University
4
vs
2
Florida
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Cowgirls’ Upset Bid Falls Short in Gainesville
February 18, 2017 | Cowgirl Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Oklahoma State women's tennis team came up short to the top-ranked Florida Gators Saturday afternoon at the Ring Tennis Center. The match wraps up a stretch in which the Cowgirls played four top-10 teams in a single week.
"Over the past two weeks we didn't shy away from the challenge of playing five of the best teams in the country, including four against top-10 teams, and we are going to be better for it," head coach Chris Young said. "We took the top team in the country to the wire at their place, and credit Florida for stepping up in crucial situations. Tonight was a high-level match and I am proud of the way our girls responded to a quick turnaround after a tough match last night. Our freshmen grew up a lot tonight and that's a big positive moving forward."
Taking the doubles point and three first sets, OSU hung tough and pushed the Gators as hard as any other opponent has this season; however, Florida proved worthy of its No. 1 ranking and ultimately came out with the win.
The Cowgirls (8-3) opened the day by handing the Gators their second loss of the season in doubles action. Despite Florida fielding three of the nation's top 25 doubles teams, OSU picked up wins on courts one and three to take an early lead in the match.
The fifth-ranked tandem of Vladica Babic and Carla Tur Mari struck first with a 6-4 win over No. 18 Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan in the top doubles spot.
Viktoriya Lushkova and Katarina Adamovic found themselves trailing, 6-5, and facing a 15-40 match point late in their match on court three; however, the pair battled back, taking three-straight points to force a decisive tiebreaker. The Cowgirl seniors came out hot in the tiebreak, eventually coming up with the 7-2 win to take the match.
The Gators tied the match score at one-all early in singles as Lushkova was forced to concede her match against No. 40 Belinda Woolcock due to injury. Florida tacked on another point at the No. 2 position when No. 45 Ingrid Neel held off Cowgirl Katarina Adamovic, 6-3, 6-2.
The Cowgirls and Gators traded wins on courts three and five, putting the Florida lead at 3-2 with the final two matches in progress.
Aliona Bolsova picked up a big win over No. 23 Anna Danilina on three. After taking her first set by way of a 7-5 tiebreaker, Bolsova snagged a 6-4 second-set win to lock up the Cowgirls' first singles point and push her dual record to 6-1.
Freshman Lena Ruppert drew a tough matchup at No. 5, as she faced two-time singles All-American and reigning SEC Player of the Year Brooke Austin. Austin edged Ruppert in the first set, 7-5, but the freshman came back strong in the second with a 6-1 win to push the match to a third set. Ruppert came up short in the final frame, however, falling, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
No. 19 Josie Kuhlman clinched the match for Florida on No. 4, pulling away late in the third set from Cowgirl junior Vladica Babic to win, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Cowgirls will enjoy an off weekend next week before heading to Seattle, Wash., March 3-4 for a couple of matches against Washington and No. 23 Northwestern.
No. 1 Florida 4, No. 6 Oklahoma State 2
Feb. 18, 2017 | Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex | Gainesville, Fla.
Doubles | Order of finish: 1, 3
No. 1: No. 5 Babic/Tur Mari (OSU) def. No. 18 Austin/Keegan (UF) 6-4
No. 2: No. 22 Danilina/Neel (UF) vs. Bolsova/Blanco (OSU) 6-6
No. 3: Lushkova/Adamovic (OSU) def. No. 17 Kuhlman/Woolcock (UF) 7-6(2)
Singles | Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 5, 4
No. 1: No. 40 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. No. 10 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) 6-3, 3-0, inj.
No. 2: No. 45 Ingrid Neel (UF) def. No. 56 Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3: Aliona Bolsova (OSU) def. No. 23 Anna Danilina (UF) 7-6(5), 6-4
No. 4: No. 19 Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. No. 33 Vladica Babic (OSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5: Brooke Austin (UF) def. No. 86 Lena Ruppert (OSU) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
No. 6: No. 30 Kourtney Keegan (UF) vs. No. 77 Sofia Blanco (OSU) 4-6, 6-4, 3-2
"Over the past two weeks we didn't shy away from the challenge of playing five of the best teams in the country, including four against top-10 teams, and we are going to be better for it," head coach Chris Young said. "We took the top team in the country to the wire at their place, and credit Florida for stepping up in crucial situations. Tonight was a high-level match and I am proud of the way our girls responded to a quick turnaround after a tough match last night. Our freshmen grew up a lot tonight and that's a big positive moving forward."
Taking the doubles point and three first sets, OSU hung tough and pushed the Gators as hard as any other opponent has this season; however, Florida proved worthy of its No. 1 ranking and ultimately came out with the win.
The Cowgirls (8-3) opened the day by handing the Gators their second loss of the season in doubles action. Despite Florida fielding three of the nation's top 25 doubles teams, OSU picked up wins on courts one and three to take an early lead in the match.
The fifth-ranked tandem of Vladica Babic and Carla Tur Mari struck first with a 6-4 win over No. 18 Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan in the top doubles spot.
Viktoriya Lushkova and Katarina Adamovic found themselves trailing, 6-5, and facing a 15-40 match point late in their match on court three; however, the pair battled back, taking three-straight points to force a decisive tiebreaker. The Cowgirl seniors came out hot in the tiebreak, eventually coming up with the 7-2 win to take the match.
The Gators tied the match score at one-all early in singles as Lushkova was forced to concede her match against No. 40 Belinda Woolcock due to injury. Florida tacked on another point at the No. 2 position when No. 45 Ingrid Neel held off Cowgirl Katarina Adamovic, 6-3, 6-2.
The Cowgirls and Gators traded wins on courts three and five, putting the Florida lead at 3-2 with the final two matches in progress.
Aliona Bolsova picked up a big win over No. 23 Anna Danilina on three. After taking her first set by way of a 7-5 tiebreaker, Bolsova snagged a 6-4 second-set win to lock up the Cowgirls' first singles point and push her dual record to 6-1.
Freshman Lena Ruppert drew a tough matchup at No. 5, as she faced two-time singles All-American and reigning SEC Player of the Year Brooke Austin. Austin edged Ruppert in the first set, 7-5, but the freshman came back strong in the second with a 6-1 win to push the match to a third set. Ruppert came up short in the final frame, however, falling, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
No. 19 Josie Kuhlman clinched the match for Florida on No. 4, pulling away late in the third set from Cowgirl junior Vladica Babic to win, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Cowgirls will enjoy an off weekend next week before heading to Seattle, Wash., March 3-4 for a couple of matches against Washington and No. 23 Northwestern.
No. 1 Florida 4, No. 6 Oklahoma State 2
Feb. 18, 2017 | Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex | Gainesville, Fla.
Doubles | Order of finish: 1, 3
No. 1: No. 5 Babic/Tur Mari (OSU) def. No. 18 Austin/Keegan (UF) 6-4
No. 2: No. 22 Danilina/Neel (UF) vs. Bolsova/Blanco (OSU) 6-6
No. 3: Lushkova/Adamovic (OSU) def. No. 17 Kuhlman/Woolcock (UF) 7-6(2)
Singles | Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 5, 4
No. 1: No. 40 Belinda Woolcock (UF) def. No. 10 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) 6-3, 3-0, inj.
No. 2: No. 45 Ingrid Neel (UF) def. No. 56 Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3: Aliona Bolsova (OSU) def. No. 23 Anna Danilina (UF) 7-6(5), 6-4
No. 4: No. 19 Josie Kuhlman (UF) def. No. 33 Vladica Babic (OSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5: Brooke Austin (UF) def. No. 86 Lena Ruppert (OSU) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
No. 6: No. 30 Kourtney Keegan (UF) vs. No. 77 Sofia Blanco (OSU) 4-6, 6-4, 3-2
Players Mentioned
/ Cowgirl Tennis
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/ Cowgirl Tennis
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