Cowgirls Sweep Jayhawks, Advance to Big 12 Semifinals

Friday, April 28

Norman, OK

4 p.m.

Oklahoma State University

Kansas

April 28, 2017 | Cowgirl Tennis

NORMAN, Okla. – The ninth-ranked Oklahoma State women's tennis team recorded its sixth-straight sweep Friday evening in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals, dropping seventh-seeded Kansas, 4-0. With the win, the Cowgirls clinched their fifth consecutive appearance in the conference semifinals, where they will face No. 15 Baylor on Saturday.

With Kansas unable to field a full six-player lineup, the Cowgirls (21-4) opened the match with a 1-0 lead and the No. 3 doubles match in hand before the first ball had even been served.

Only needing to take one doubles match, OSU got its win from the tandem of freshman Aliona Bolsova and sophomore Sofia Blanco. The Cowgirl duo handled Janet Koch and Anastasia Rychagova, 6-2, on the No. 2 court for its 25th win of the season. As doubles play was suspended, the Pokes' top doubles team of Carla Tur Mari and Vladica Babic were leading Nina Khmelnitckaia and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum, 4-2.

In singles, after picking up first sets on all five courts, the Cowgirls got straight-set victories from senior Katarina Adamovic and Katarina Stresnakova to put the Jayhawks away.

After storming through her first set, 6-1, against Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum, Adamovic found herself in a 2-0 hole to open the second. The Cowgirl senior would bounce back, however, battling the Jayhawk in a back-and-forth set before finally pulling away late to tally the 6-4, 6-4 victory and put OSU a point away from advancing.

"I think I started off really well and focused," Adamovic said. "I played my game and it was working. In the second set, I have to give it to her, she started playing really well and started making some more balls. She started competing better, but I stuck to my game plan and I'm happy with how I finished."

Stresnakova remained perfect on the spring season, moving to 11-0 in dual action with a match-clinching, 7-5, 6-2 win over Tatiana Nikolaeva on court six. The triumph was the sophomore's third clincher of the year.

"I had a really slow start," Stresnakova said. "I didn't play very well, but I had Matt (Manasse) on my court today and he was supporting me all the way through. That helped me a lot, and then I improved my game and finished strong."

Although her match was cut short, Cowgirl Lena Ruppert provided an impressive comeback performance on court four. Trailing, 5-1, in her first set, the freshman came back to win the frame in a tiebreaker and eventually build a 3-1 lead in the second as the match was clinched.

"I think in this league we are the champions until someone knocks us off as far as this tournament goes," head coach Chris Young said. "I think it is important that our girls come out and have that confidence. I think a lot of teams look at us and try to knock us off because of what we have accomplished the last few years a program."

The Cowgirls are scheduled to face Baylor Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Headington Tennis Center in the Big 12 semifinals; however, due to weather, the match may be moved indoors. If moved inside, OSU and Baylor will play 45 minutes following the conclusion of the other semifinal match, which is also set for 2 p.m.

No. 9 Oklahoma State 4, Kansas 0
April 28, 2017 | Headington Tennis Center | Norman, Okla.

Singles | Order of finish: 2, 5
1. #7 Viktoriya Lushkova (OKST) vs. #73 Anastasia Rychagova (KAN) 6-2, 5-6, unfinished
2. #49 Katarina Adamovic (OKST) def. Bernard-Feigenbaum (KAN) 6-1, 6-4
3. #70 Aliona Bolsova (OKST) vs. Janet Koch (KAN) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
4. #69 Lena Ruppert (OKST) vs. Nina Khmelnitckaia (KAN) 7-6, 3-1, unfinished
5. Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. Tatiana Nikolaeva (KAN) 7-5, 6-2
6. Carla Tur Mari (OKST) def. No player (KAN) by forfeit

Doubles | Order of finish: 2
1. #10 Vladica Babic/Carla Tur Mari (OKST) def. #35 Nina Khmelnitckaia/Bernard-Feigenbaum (KAN) 4-2
2. #39 Sofia Blanco/Aliona Bolsova (OKST) def. Janet Koch/Anastasia Rychagova (KAN) 6-2
3. #63 Katarina Adamovic/Viktoriya Lushkova (OKST) def. Tatiana Nikolaeva/No player (KAN) by forfeit