Women's Tennis Falls to Rice in First Round of NCAA Championships, 4-2

Saturday, May 9

Waco, Texas

11:00 a.m.

Tulsa

Rice

Women's Tennis Falls to Rice in First Round of NCAA Championships, 4-2

5/9/2015 10:27:00 AM | Women's Tennis

Tulsa concludes the 2015 season with a 16-11 record

By: Kevin Quicker

Box Score in PDF

The University of Tulsa women's tennis team saw its season come to an end on Saturday, after falling to the No. 28 Rice Owls, 4-2, in the first round of the NCAA Championships in Waco, Texas. The No. 48 Hurricane wraps up the year with a 16-11 record.

The Owls keep its season alive with the win and will play the winner of the Baylor, Northwestern State match on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

It was Rice who came away with doubles point, edging out the Hurricane with wins from the Nos. 1 and 3 matches. Rice took the top doubles match to start, as Natalie Beazan and Liat Zimmerman defeated the duo of No. 80 Ksenia Laskutova and Renata Kuricova, 8-5. It was Savannah Durkin and Solomiya Zinko who clinched the doubles point, after they outlasted Mahitha Dadireddy andSaana Saarteinen, 8-7(7-3).

The Owls took a 2-0 lead after Zinko won in straight sets over Kuricova, 6-2, 6-1, from the No. 6 spot.

With its backs against the wall, the Hurricane came roaring back to even the match with two-straight wins. Saarteinen gave TU its first point of the day, with a 6-1, 6-2 win from the No. 5 spot over Durkin. Marcelina Cichon registered the match-tying point, after winning the No. 3 match against Zimmerman, 6-2, 6-1.

Just moments after Cichon tied the match, Rice regained control when No. 32 Beazant earned the 6-2, 6-3 victory over Laskutova from the No. 1 position. Rice's Katherine Ip clinched the match for the Owls, winning 6-0, 0-6, 6-4, from the No. 2 spot over Tulsa's Rongrong Leenbanchong.

This was the second meeting of the season between the two sides. The Owls won the first showdown, 4-0, on March 8, at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

Rice vs Tulsa
May 9, 2015 at Waco, Texas
Hurd Tennis Center

#28 Rice 4, #48 Tulsa 2

DOUBLES (Order of Finish: 1,3*)
1. Natalie Beazant/Liat Zimmermann (RICE) def. No. 80 Ksenia Laskutova/Renata Kuricova (TU) 8-5
2. Rongrong Leenbanchon/Marcelina Cichon (TU) vs. Lindsey Hodge/Alison Ho (RICE) 7-7, DNF
3. Savannah Durkin/Solomiya Zinko (RICE) def. Mahitha Dadireddy/Saana Saarteinen (TU) 8-7 (7-3)

SINGLES (Order of Finish: 6,5,3,1,2*)
1. No. 32 Natalie Beazant (RICE) def. Ksenia Laskutova (TU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Katherine Ip (RICE) def. Rongrong Leenbanchon (TU) 6-0, 0-6, 6-4
3. Marcelina Cichon (TU) def. Liat Zimmermann (RICE) 6-2, 6-1
4. Yelena Nemchen (TU) vs. Lindsey Hodge (RICE) 7-5, 3-3, DNF
5. Saana Saarteinen (TU) def. Savannah Durkin (RICE) 6-1, 6-2
6. Solomiya Zinko (RICE) def. Renata Kuricova (TU) 6-2, 6-1

For all Tulsa women's tennis news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane. Follow Tulsa Women's Tennis on Twitter (http://twitter.com/TulsaWTennis) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TulsaWTennis).