Tulsa Women’s Tennis Falls to No. 54 Rice, 4-3, to Conclude Regular Season

Sunday, April 10

Houston, Texas

1:00 p.m.

Tulsa

Rice

Tulsa Women’s Tennis Falls to No. 54 Rice, 4-3, to Conclude Regular Season

4/10/2016 4:45:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Drake Allen

HOUSTON, Texas – In the final scheduled match of the regular season, The University of Tulsa women's tennis team lost to No. 54 Rice, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at the George R. Brown Tennis Center. The No. 29 Golden Hurricane finished the 2016 regular season with an overall 18-4 record.

To begin doubles play, Katherin Ip and Emily Smith (No. 1) defeated Ksenia Laskutova and Renata Kuricova, 6-2, to take a 1-0 doubles point lead. The Hurricane would battle back to tie the doubles point score at 1-1 as Rongrong Leenabanchong teamed up with Martha Matoula (No. 2) to defeat Lindsey Hodge and Alison Ho in a 6-4 decision. The battle for the doubles point came down to one match, and Mahitha Dadireddy and Saana Saarteinen (No. 3) defeated Savannah Durkin and Solomiya Zinko, 6-3, to give Tulsa a 1-0 match lead going into singles play.

In singles play, Saana Saarteinen (No. 1) defeated Lindsey Hodge, 6-2, 6-2, to extend the Hurricane match lead to 2-0. Emily Smith (No. 3) of Rice defeated Rongrong Leenabanchong, 7-6, 6-1, to bring the match score to 2-1. TU's No. 121 nationally ranked singles player Ksenia Laskutova (No. 2) defeated Rice's No. 66 nationally ranked singles play Katherin Ip, 6-3, 6-4, to give TU a comfortable 3-1 match lead. The Owls came battling back as Alison Ho (No. 5) defeated Renata Kuricova, 6-3, 7-6, before Savannah Durkin (No. 4) defeated Marcelina Cichon, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, to tie the match score at 3-3. With the match point on the line, Solomiya Zinko (No. 6) defeated Martha Matoula, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, to clinch the 4-3 Rice match victory.

On April 20-23, Tulsa will travel to Memphis, Tenn., to compete in the American Athletic Conference Championships.

Rice 4, Tulsa 3
SINGLES
1. Sanna Saarteinen (Tulsa) defeated Lindsey Hodge (Rice), 6-2, 6-2
2. #121 Ksenia Laskutova (Tulsa) defeated #66 Katherin Ip (Rice), 6-3, 6-4
3. Emily Smith (Rice) defeated Rongrong Leenabanchong (Tulsa), 7-6, 6-1
4. Savannah Durkin (Rice) defeated Marcelina Cichon (Tulsa), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6
5. Alison Ho (Rice) defeated Renata Kuricova (Tulsa), 6-3, 7-6
6. Solomiya Zinko (Rice) defeated Martha Matoula (Tulsa), 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
Order of singles finish: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4

DOUBLES
1. Ip/Smith (Rice) defeated Laskutova/Kuricova (Tulsa), 6-2
2. Leenabanchong/Matoula (Tulsa) defeated Hodge/Ho (Rice), 6-4
3. Dadireddy/Saarteinen (Tulsa) defeated Durkin/Zinko (Rice), 6-3
Order of doubles finish: 1, 2, 3

Records: Tulsa 18-4, Rice 9-8

Follow Tulsa Women's Tennis Team on Twitter (http://twitter.com/TulsaWTennis) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TulsaWTennis). Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.

The University of Tulsa's Michael D. Case Tennis Center is host site for the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Championships, May 19-30