Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Houston *
No. 1 Cowgirls Set for Final Road Trip
April 03, 2024 | Cowgirl Tennis
Match Notes (PDF)
The Basics
No. 1 Oklahoma State (21-0, 10-0) is getting set for its final road trip of the season, taking on Houston on Friday at 1 p.m. before facing UCF on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. With wins, the Cowgirls would finish the season 7-0 in road matches, making it just the third time in program history and first time since 1990 that OSU has gone undefeated in road matches (excluding the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season).
Following the Action
Live streaming and live scoring will be available for both of this weekend's matches. Links are available in the match capsules above or on the Cowgirl Tennis schedule on okstate.com.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State was ranked No. 1 in the ITA Division I rankings for the eighth consecutive week on Tuesday. In the latest singles rankings, Ange Oby Kajuru appeared at No. 4, while Anastasiya Komar came in at No. 11, Lucia Peyre at No. 58, Safiya Carrington at No. 63 and Ayumi Miyamoto at No. 85. In doubles, Komar and Kajuru checked in at No. 4, while Komar and Raquel Gonzalez appeared at No. 24.
Series History
Friday's match will be the first meeting between OSU and Houston since 1998, with the Cowgirls leading the all-time series 7-1. Oklahoma State's only loss came in the last meeting, falling 6-3 in Houston after having won the prior seven matches. OSU and UCF will compete for just the fourth time in the teams' histories, with each of the previous three taking place in recent years. The Cowgirls won the first matchup in 2019, but UCF answered with wins in 2021 and 2022 to take the series lead 2-1.
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 21-0. Fourteen of the 21 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. 8 Texas (twice), No. 12 Ohio State, No. 14 UCLA, No. 16 Auburn and No. 23 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 10 outdoor matches by a combined score of 54-5, including seven shutouts and five wins over opponents ranked in the top-30. On the season, the Cowgirls are now 82-20 in singles matches for a winning percentage of .804, led by Kristina Novak (14-0), Ange Oby Kajuru (14-3) and Lucia Peyre (14-5). OSU is also 36-16 (.692) 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 last week, 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 14 of its last 16 matches and 17 of 21 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 31-3.
• Kristina Novak is 14-0 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 23-0, adding to the best start to a season in program history.
• Improve it to 7-0 on the road this season, completing an undefeated road record in 2024.
• Improve it to 12-0 in conference play, tying the program record for most conference wins in a season.
• Improve it to 8-1 all-time against Houston.
• Improve it to 2-2 all-time against UCF.
Players Mentioned
