Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Texas *
No. 1 Cowgirls Set to Face No. 7 Texas and No. 20 Oklahoma
March 20, 2024 | Cowgirl Tennis
Match Notes (PDF)
The Basics
No. 1 Oklahoma State (17-0, 6-0) will face its two biggest road tests of the season this weekend, first taking on No. 7 Texas in Austin on Friday at 3:30 p.m. before meeting No. 20 Oklahoma in Norman on Sunday at 12 p.m. This will be the Cowgirls' second match of the season against the Longhorns, winning a 4-3 thriller in the ITA Indoor National quarterfinals in February.
Following the Action
Friday's match against Texas will air on Longhorn Network while Sunday's match against OU will be streamed on ESPN+. Additionally, live scoring of Friday's match can be found at the following link: http://www.sidearmstats.com/texas/wten/. Live scoring for Sunday's match is available at: https://statb.us/b/499170.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State made it six-consecutive weeks at the top spot in the latest ITA rankings. In the singles rankings, Ange Oby Kajuru appeared at No. 4, while Anastasiya Komar came in at No. 10, Lucia Peyre at No. 65, Safiya Carrington at No. 77 and Ayumi Miyamoto at No. 81. In doubles, Komar and Kajuru checked in at No. 8, while Komar and Raquel Gonzalez appeared at No. 22.
Series History
Oklahoma State is 11-37 all-time against Texas, including a 4-18 record in Austin. The Cowgirls win over the Longhorns last season snapped a five-match losing streak, but Texas went on to defeat OSU at the Big 12 Championships later in the season. The Cowgirls hold a 40-23 all-time advantage over Oklahoma, but the Sooners have won the last four Bedlam matchups.
Indoor National Champs
Oklahoma State captured its first-ever ITA Indoor National Championship in February in Seattle, Washington, putting an exclamation point on what has been a historic start to the season for the Cowgirls. OSU battled through a field that included 15 of the top 16 ranked teams in the country, going through then No. 14 Auburn, No. 10 Texas and No. 2 Stanford before taking down No. 5 Michigan in the title match. Head coach Chris Young and the Cowgirls took over the top spot in the ITA rankings after winning the indoor title and will now set their sights on an NCAA title run, which will be played at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater in May.
The Resume
Oklahoma State has exceeded what were already high expectations for the start of its 2024 season, producing its best start since 1981 at 17-0. Twelve of the 17 wins have come against top-30 ranked opponents, with five coming against teams that were ranked in the top-10 at the time of the match. Going by the latest ITA rankings, the Cowgirls have beaten No. 2 Michigan (twice), No. 3 Pepperdine, No. 4 Stanford, No. 7 Texas, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 16 UCLA and No. 18 Auburn. The win over Stanford in the ITA Indoor National Championship semifinal was the first in program history against the Cardinal, snapping a six-match losing streak. The five wins over top-10 opponents are the most in program history for a season, and it took this year's team only nine matches to get there.
Asserting Dominance
After winning the ITA Indoor National Championship, Oklahoma State didn't miss a beat when play moved outdoors. The Cowgirls have won their seven outdoor matches by a combined score of 39-2, including five shutouts and four wins over opponents ranked in the top-30. On the season, the Cowgirls are now 66-17 in singles matches for a winning percentage of .795, led by Kristina Novak (11-0), Ange Oby Kajuru (11-3) and Lucia Peyre (12-4). OSU is also 29-14 in doubles (.674) behind an 11-3 start from Anastasiya Komar and Kajuru at the No. 1 position.
Notable Streaks and Trends
• Oklahoma State has won the doubles point in 11 of its last 12 matches and 14 of 17 on the season.
• In singles and doubles, the Cowgirls are a combined 21-8 against nationally ranked opponents.
• Out of the No. 4 and No. 6 spots, OSU is a combined 26-3.
• Kristina Novak is 11-0 to begin the season and 4-0 against ranked opponents.
• After starting the season 0-2, Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru have won 11 of their last 12 doubles matches from the No. 1 position.
Oklahoma State Wins Would...
• Give it six wins against top-10 teams, adding to its record total.
• Give it 14 wins against top-30 teams.
• Improve it to 19-0, the best start to a season in program history.
• Improve it to 8-0 in conference play.
• Improve it to 5-0 on the road this season.
• Improve it to 12-37 all-time against Texas.
• Improve it to 41-23 all-time against Oklahoma.
Players Mentioned
