Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
West Virginia *
No. 1 Cowgirls Set to Host West Virginia, Cincinnati
March 27, 2024 | Cowgirl Tennis
Match Notes (PDF)
The Basics
No. 1 Oklahoma State (19-0, 8-0) is back at home this weekend, taking on West Virginia on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Cincinnati on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Cowgirls are coming off another impressive weekend, getting road wins over No. 7 Texas and No. 20 Oklahoma to set the program record for most wins to begin a season.
Following the Action
Live streaming for both of this weekend's matches can be viewed on OSU's TrackTennis page, with links available in the match capsules above. Additionally, live scoring for both matches will be available at okstate.statbroadcast.com.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State was ranked No. 1 in the ITA Division I rankings for the seventh consecutive week on Tuesday. In the most recent 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 enters Thursday's matchup with West Virginia undefeated against the Mountaineers, having won the first nine meetings by a combined score of 49-3. The Cowgirls got shutout victories in six of the nine meetings, including the last two in which they won 7-0 both times. Oklahoma State will take on Cincinnati for the first time in program history on Saturday as the new conference foes prepare to battle for years to come.
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 in program history at 19-0. Fourteen of the 19 wins have come against top-30 ranked opponents, with six 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. 5 Stanford, No. 7 Texas (twice), No. 12 Ohio State, No. 16 Auburn, No. 17 UCLA and No. 22 Oklahoma. The Cowgirls currently boast six wins over teams ranked in the top-seven and 11 wins over top-25 teams. The six wins against top-10 opponents on the season is yet another program record that was set in 2024.
Asserting Dominance
After winning the ITA Indoor National Championship, Oklahoma State hasn't missed a beat as play has moved outdoors. The Cowgirls have won their eight outdoor matches by a combined score of 43-5, including five shutouts and five wins over opponents ranked in the top-30. On the season, the Cowgirls are now 73-20 in singles matches for a winning percentage of .785, led by Kristina Novak (12-0), Ange Oby Kajuru (12-3) and Lucia Peyre (13-5). OSU is also 32-16 (.667) in doubles behind a 12-4 start from Anastasiya Komar and Kajuru at the No. 1 position.
Receiving Recognition
Ange Oby Kajuru became the latest Cowgirl to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, marking the fifth time in her career she has won the award and first as a Cowgirl. She joins Raquel Gonzalez, Anastasiya Komar, Lucia Peyre and Safiya Carrington as Oklahoma State players to earn the honor this season.
Notable Streaks and Trends
• Oklahoma State has won the doubles point in 12 of its last 14 matches and 15 of 19 on the season.
• In singles and doubles, the Cowgirls are a combined 26-9 against nationally ranked opponents.
• Out of the No. 4 and No. 6 spots, OSU is a combined 29-3.
• Kristina Novak is 12-0 to begin the season and 4-0 against ranked opponents.
• After starting the season 0-2, Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru have won 12 of their last 14 doubles matches from the No. 1 position.
Oklahoma State Wins Would...
• Improve it to 21-0, adding to the best start to a season in program history.
• Improve it to 10-0 in conference play.
• Improve it to 10-0 at home this season.
• Improve it to 10-0 all-time against West Virginia.
• Improve it to 1-0 all-time against Cincinnati.
• Improve it to 116-18 all-time at the Greenwood Tennis Center.
Players Mentioned
