Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
UMKC
Cowgirl Tennis Advances At NCAA Championship
May 11, 2018 | Cowgirl Tennis
PHOTOS
STILLWATER – The eighth-seeded Oklahoma State women's tennis team defeated UMKC, 4-1, in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday afternoon at the Greenwood Tennis Center.
OSU (20-4) will face Tulsa at 3 p.m. tomorrow at home for a spot in what would be the Cowgirls' fourth-straight Sweet 16. OSU beat Tulsa earlier this season at home on April 6th, 4-2.
With today's win, head coach Chris Young improved to 13-6 in the NCAA Tournament and 9-3 in regional play during his time in Stillwater. OSU has now won 48 of its last 50 matches at the Greenwood Tennis Center, dating back to March of 2015.
Senior Vladica Babic clinched the match and extended her win streak to seven by defeating Aliona Ladutska, the WAC Player of the Year, in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.
"She's locked in," Young said. "She understands her patterns and how she needs to play the points. She's specifically been working on some things she can improve and I thought today she executed those at the right times. There were some big points that she played really well."
Doubles play gave OSU a 1-0 lead after Marina Guinart and Katarina Stresnakova took their match on court two, followed by Babic and Sofia Blanco, who clinched the point on court one just a minute later. Both won their doubles matches, 6-2.
In singles play, Guinhart made quick work of Yana Grechkina on court four, pushing the Cowgirls lead to 2-0 after a 6-0, 6-1, victory.
Grace Ball got the Kangaroos' lone point of the match with a 6-0, 6-1 win on court six.
Stresnakova extended the Cowgirls' lead to 3-1 after defeating UMKC's Melinda Johnson, 6-1, 6-0.
"We've got to give credit to an Oklahoma State team that is just rocking," UMKC head coach Kendell Hale said. "I wish the best for them in the rest of the tournament."
Tickets to tomorrow's match can be found at okstate.com/tickets.
"Always at home we have good crowd support," Young said. "I think that's really important for us. We have such a great facility and feel very fortunate to be there. We have a lot of pride in representing Oklahoma State tennis."
No. 8 Oklahoma State 4, UMKC 1
May 11, 2018 | Greenwood Tennis Center | Stillwater, Okla.
Doubles | Order of finish: 2,1
1. #14 Vladica Babic/Sofia Blanco (OKST) def. Melinda Johnson/Yana Grechkina (UMKC) 6-2
2. Marina Guinart/Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. Aliona Ladutska/Grace Ball (UMKC) 6-2
3. Katie Fries/Thanushree Vale (UMKC) vs. Megan McCray/Shir Hornung (OKST) 5-3 unfinished
Singles | Order of finish: 4,6,3,1
1. #20 Vladica Babic (OKST) def. Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) 6-2, 6-1
2. #39 Megan McCray (OKST) vs. Katie Fries (UMKC) 6-1, 4-3, unfinished
3. Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) vs. Melinda Johnson (UMKC) 6-1, 6-0
4. #123 Marina Guinart (OKST) def. Yana Grechkina (UMKC) 6-0, 6-1
5. Sofia Blanco (OKST) vs. Thanushree Vale (UMKC) 6-2, 4-1, unfinished
6. Grace Ball (UMKC) def. Sami Court (OKST) 6-0, 6-1
