Oklahoma State University Athletics
Friday, April 28
Norman, Okla.
10 a.m.
Oklahoma State University
3
vs
4
Texas Tech
Cowboys' Run Ends in Big 12 Championship Semifinals
April 28, 2017 | Cowboy Tennis
NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma State men's tennis team was knocked out of the 2017 Big 12 Tennis Championship Friday, as the Cowboys fell to No. 41 Texas Tech in the semifinals, 4-3, at the Headington Family Tennis Center.
"Obviously it was a tough loss today, but you have to give credit to Texas Tech because they're a very good team," head coach Jay Udwadia said. "I thought our competitiveness was really good today, but overall our level of play wasn't where it needed to be. Texas Tech is riding a big wave of confidence right now and they also have great players as well, and that showed today."
Friday's loss marks just the second time this season that OSU (21-6; 3-2 Big 12) lost the match after claiming the doubles point. The only occasion that occurred was during the Cowboys' consolation match against No. 6 Texas at the ITA National Indoor Championship on February 19.
Although The Cowboys opened Saturday's contest by winning the match's first point, it was an incredibly-competitive round of doubles, as two of the three matches needed tiebreaks to decide a winner.
Left-handers Lucas Gerch and Jurence Mendoza gave OSU the early edge in doubles Friday with a 6-4 victory over Jolan Cailleau and Carlos DiLaura on court two. Gerch and Mendoza's 19 wins as doubles partners rank as the second most by an OSU tandem this season.
Julian Cash and Arjun Kadhe, now ranked No. 6 in the nation, provided Oklahoma State with the clincher on court one, where the All-American tandem overcame dropping a late break point to knock off No. 13-ranked Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson, 7-6 (6). It is the second time this season that the right-handed duo has defeated Curry and Thomson in comeback fashion this season, as they previously rallied from down a break to win in a tiebreak during OSU's regular-season win in Lubbock, Texas.
Friday's doubles-clinching win also marked a historic achivement for both Cash and Kadhe.
For Cash, the win was his 61st doubles triumph as a Cowboy, which puts him in a tie with Mickey Coats for 10th place on OSU's all-time doubles wins list. The win also marked Kadhe's 35th victory in doubles action this season, which breaks his own OSU single-season wins record that he and Cash set last season.
"Right now, I'm not all that happy about the record because the team winning is what is most important to me," Kadhe said. "I'm sure I'll feel better about it tomorrow, but all of us are just disappointed that we weren't able to get the win as a team."
After an intense doubles point, the Cowboys were outdone by the Red Raiders in the ensuing singles action as Texas Tech won on four of the six courts to secure its comeback win. OSU's two singles triumphs came from Artur Dubinski and Lukas Finzelberg, who were playing on courts five and six, respectively.
Dubinski was the first Cowboy to wrap up his singles match Friday, as the sophomore knocked off Carlos DiLaura in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-2. The right-hander has now won nine singles contests since joining Oklahoma State in February.
After Dubinski's win, Texas Tech picked up wins on courts two, three and four to take its first lead of the match, but Lukas Finzelberg quickly leveled the match again with his 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over Jackson Cobb. Finzelberg's win marked his 18th of the season, which ties him with Julian Cash for the team lead.
Texas Tech ended the semifinal matchup shortly thereafter on court one, where No. 29 Jolan Cailleau knocked off Cash in a tight three-set contest, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1.
"Today really could have gone either way," Udwadia said. "In those tiebreaks and third sets, Texas Tech was just a little bit tougher than we were in those moments. Now, we just have to make sure that we get our level of play where it needs to be heading into the tournament."
Oklahoma State will now look forward to the NCAA Tournament, in which the Cowboys will look to better last season's Round of 16 finish. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Tuesday at 4 p.m., with the Cowboys expected to be selected to host one of the 16 men's regionals.
No. 8 Oklahoma State 3, No. 41 Texas Tech 4
April 28, 2017 | Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center
Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 1)
C1: No. 6 Cash/Kadhe (OSU) def. No. 13 Curry/Thomson (TTU), 7-6 (6)
C2: Gerch/Mendoza (OSU) def. Cailleau/DiLaura (TTU), 6-4
C3: Dubinski/Meraut (OSU) vs. Cobb/Sendegeya (TTU), 6-6 (9-9), unf.
Singles (Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 6, 1)
C1: No. 29 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) def. No. 24 Julian Cash (OSU), 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1
C2: No. 79 Bjorn Thomson (TTU) def. No. 103 Arjun Kadhe (OSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
C3: Alex Sendegeya (TTU) def. No. 110 Lucas Gerch (OSU), 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-1
C4: Connor Curry (TTU) def. Tristan Meraut (OSU), 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
C5: Artur Dubinski (OSU) def. Carlos DiLaura (TTU), 7-6 (4), 6-2
C6: No. 76 Lukas Finzelberg (OSU) def. Jackson Cobb (TTU), 6-4, 7-6 (6)
"Obviously it was a tough loss today, but you have to give credit to Texas Tech because they're a very good team," head coach Jay Udwadia said. "I thought our competitiveness was really good today, but overall our level of play wasn't where it needed to be. Texas Tech is riding a big wave of confidence right now and they also have great players as well, and that showed today."
Friday's loss marks just the second time this season that OSU (21-6; 3-2 Big 12) lost the match after claiming the doubles point. The only occasion that occurred was during the Cowboys' consolation match against No. 6 Texas at the ITA National Indoor Championship on February 19.
Although The Cowboys opened Saturday's contest by winning the match's first point, it was an incredibly-competitive round of doubles, as two of the three matches needed tiebreaks to decide a winner.
Left-handers Lucas Gerch and Jurence Mendoza gave OSU the early edge in doubles Friday with a 6-4 victory over Jolan Cailleau and Carlos DiLaura on court two. Gerch and Mendoza's 19 wins as doubles partners rank as the second most by an OSU tandem this season.
Julian Cash and Arjun Kadhe, now ranked No. 6 in the nation, provided Oklahoma State with the clincher on court one, where the All-American tandem overcame dropping a late break point to knock off No. 13-ranked Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson, 7-6 (6). It is the second time this season that the right-handed duo has defeated Curry and Thomson in comeback fashion this season, as they previously rallied from down a break to win in a tiebreak during OSU's regular-season win in Lubbock, Texas.
Friday's doubles-clinching win also marked a historic achivement for both Cash and Kadhe.
For Cash, the win was his 61st doubles triumph as a Cowboy, which puts him in a tie with Mickey Coats for 10th place on OSU's all-time doubles wins list. The win also marked Kadhe's 35th victory in doubles action this season, which breaks his own OSU single-season wins record that he and Cash set last season.
"Right now, I'm not all that happy about the record because the team winning is what is most important to me," Kadhe said. "I'm sure I'll feel better about it tomorrow, but all of us are just disappointed that we weren't able to get the win as a team."
After an intense doubles point, the Cowboys were outdone by the Red Raiders in the ensuing singles action as Texas Tech won on four of the six courts to secure its comeback win. OSU's two singles triumphs came from Artur Dubinski and Lukas Finzelberg, who were playing on courts five and six, respectively.
Dubinski was the first Cowboy to wrap up his singles match Friday, as the sophomore knocked off Carlos DiLaura in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-2. The right-hander has now won nine singles contests since joining Oklahoma State in February.
After Dubinski's win, Texas Tech picked up wins on courts two, three and four to take its first lead of the match, but Lukas Finzelberg quickly leveled the match again with his 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over Jackson Cobb. Finzelberg's win marked his 18th of the season, which ties him with Julian Cash for the team lead.
Texas Tech ended the semifinal matchup shortly thereafter on court one, where No. 29 Jolan Cailleau knocked off Cash in a tight three-set contest, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1.
"Today really could have gone either way," Udwadia said. "In those tiebreaks and third sets, Texas Tech was just a little bit tougher than we were in those moments. Now, we just have to make sure that we get our level of play where it needs to be heading into the tournament."
Oklahoma State will now look forward to the NCAA Tournament, in which the Cowboys will look to better last season's Round of 16 finish. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Tuesday at 4 p.m., with the Cowboys expected to be selected to host one of the 16 men's regionals.
No. 8 Oklahoma State 3, No. 41 Texas Tech 4
April 28, 2017 | Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center
Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 1)
C1: No. 6 Cash/Kadhe (OSU) def. No. 13 Curry/Thomson (TTU), 7-6 (6)
C2: Gerch/Mendoza (OSU) def. Cailleau/DiLaura (TTU), 6-4
C3: Dubinski/Meraut (OSU) vs. Cobb/Sendegeya (TTU), 6-6 (9-9), unf.
Singles (Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 6, 1)
C1: No. 29 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) def. No. 24 Julian Cash (OSU), 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1
C2: No. 79 Bjorn Thomson (TTU) def. No. 103 Arjun Kadhe (OSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
C3: Alex Sendegeya (TTU) def. No. 110 Lucas Gerch (OSU), 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-1
C4: Connor Curry (TTU) def. Tristan Meraut (OSU), 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
C5: Artur Dubinski (OSU) def. Carlos DiLaura (TTU), 7-6 (4), 6-2
C6: No. 76 Lukas Finzelberg (OSU) def. Jackson Cobb (TTU), 6-4, 7-6 (6)
Players Mentioned
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