Cowgirl Tennis Comes Up Short At UCF

Sunday, March 20

Orlando, FL

11 a.m.

Oklahoma State University

UCF

March 20, 2022 | Cowgirl Tennis

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. – Oklahoma State's ninth-ranked Cowgirl tennis team came up short in a tightly contested match against UCF, 4-3, at the USTA National Campus on Sunday.

With the loss, the Cowgirls fell to 11-2 overall.

The day began with doubles, where the nation's 22nd-ranked duo of Lisa Marie Rioux and Ayumi Miyamoto moved to a perfect 10-0 clip on the year after routing UCF's Sophia Biolay and Nandini Sharma, 6-0.

On court three, Alana Woflberg and Oona Orpana fell to Jaleesa Leslie and Noel Saidenova, 6-3, while Mhai Sawangkaew and Martina Zerulo dropped their match to No. 57 Marie Mattel and Evgeniya Levashova by a score of 6-2 on court one, giving UCF the doubles point.

In singles action, No. 40 Lisa Marie Rioux erased the Cowgirl deficit with a dominant victory over 68th-ranked Evgeniya Levashova, winning by a score of 6-1, 6-3.

Martina Zerulo started slow but never turned back once she found her rhythm. Trailing 5-0 in the first set, Zerulo showed tremendous resiliency battling back to win set one, 7-6. Zerulo came out swinging in the second set and the rest was history as she put OSU ahead with an impressive win, 7-6, 6-1.

Mhai Sawangkaew's match was back and forth, but the freshman pulled away in the third set, prevailing in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory over UCF's Noel Saidenova. The win moved the 34th-ranked Cowgirl to 11-0 on the season and extended the OSU lead to 3-1.

After dropping the first set, Sofia Rojas turned things around, winning the second set, 7-5. However, Rojas' rally came up short as she fell to UCF's Nandini Sharma on court six, 0-6, 7-5, 4-6. Alana Wolfberg started on fire taking set one, 6-0. The following two sets were battles and despite a valiant effort, Wolfberg fell short to UCF's Sophia Biolay, 6-0, 5-7, 6-7 (5-7), evening up the match.

The deciding point came down to a grudge match between No. 82 Oona Orpana and 100th-ranked Marie Mattel on court four. All three sets went point for point, with UCF's Marie Mattel claiming the match-clinching point for the Knights, 7-6 (11-9), 5-7, 4-6.

Next up, OSU hosts No. 6 Texas in a conference showdown on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Greenwood Tennis Center.

Results
Singles competition
1. #40 Lisa Marie Rioux (WOSU22) def. #68 Evgeniya Levashova (UCF) 6-1, 6-3
2. #34 Mhai Sawangkaew (WOSU22) def. Noel Saidenova (UCF) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
3. Martina Zerulo (WOSU22) def. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
4. #100 Marie Mattel (UCF) def. #82 Oona Orpana (WOSU22) 6-7 (9-11), 7-5, 6-4
5. Sophia Biolay (UCF) def. Alana Wolfberg (WOSU22) 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Nandini Sharma (UCF) def. Sofia Rojas (WOSU22) 6-0, 5-7, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. #57 Evgeniya Levashova/Marie Mattel (UCF) def. #38 Mhai Sawangkaew/Martina Zerulo(OSU22) 6-2
2. #22 Lisa Marie Rioux/Ayumi Miyamoto (WOSU22) def. Sophia Biolay/Nandini Sharma (UCF) 6-0
3. Noel Saidenova/Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) def. Alana Wolfberg/Oona Orpana (WOSU22) 6-3