Tulsa
SMU
No. 35 Tulsa Falls to No. 25 SMU, 4-3
2/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 6, 2010
TULSA, Okla. - The 35th-ranked Tulsa women's tennis team lost a wrenching 4-3 decision to 25th-ranked SMU on Saturday morning at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center. Junior JoAnne Karaitiana battled 76th-ranked Aleksandra Malyarchikova to three sets in No. 2 singles, but fell 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3), in the deciding match.
The Hurricane (6-2) jumped out a to 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point with victories in the top two positions. JoAnne Karaitiana and Alexandra Kichoutkin upset 15th-ranked Pavi Francis and Marta Lesniak, 8-6, in the No. 1 slot, and Anastasia Erofeeva and Ewa Szatkowska earned an 8-5 win over Shahzoda Hatamova and Katerina Vankova in No. 2 doubles.
Freshman Michelle Farley pushed the lead to 2-0 with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory over Casey Kennedy in No. 6 singles.
SMU charged back winning the next three singles matches to take a 3-2 lead, before senior Rebecca Row tied the score at 3-3 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Pavi Francis in No. 5 singles. Karaitiana fell to Malyarchikova in the No. 2 position, giving the Mustangs the 4-3 victory.
Tulsa returns to the court against No. 17 Arkansas at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13th at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
