Hurricane Blank Cincinnati, Heads Back to The American Finals for Third Straight Year

Friday, April 21

Orlando, Fla.

2 p.m.

Tulsa

Cincinnati

Hurricane Blank Cincinnati, Heads Back to The American Finals for Third Straight Year

4/21/2017 5:28:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Riley Ubben

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Tulsa Women's Tennis team will make their third straight American Athletic Conference title match appearance and 11^th in a row dating back to 2007 after defeating Cincinnati 4-0 in the semifinals on Friday at the USTA National Campus. The Hurricane (20-6 Overall) are the back-to-back defending conference tournament champions and will defend their title tomorrow at 2 p.m. against No. 7-seed USF.

Tulsa, the top-seed in the tournament, pulled ahead 1-0 after solid performances in doubles play at the top two spots at Rongrong Leenabanchong and Martha Matoula shutout their second straight opponent as they defeated Harley Hutchison and Ali Miller 6-0. Ksenia Laskutova and Mahitha Dadireddy followed suit with a shutout win of their own, besting Lauren Bellinger and Keller Poggensee-Wei 6-0 to secure the point heading into singles play.

Laskutova helped pick up another Tulsa point, this one in singles play as she defeated Bellinger 6-1, 6-0. The junior won five of six game points on the afternoon while taking seven of eight break points.

Marcelina Cichon put together her third straight 6-0 set of the tournament in the opening frame against Hutchison in singles play en route to a 6-3 second set win that put the Hurricane up 3-0.

Martha Matoula secured Tulsa's championship match bid at the No. 5 singles spot, cruising to a 6-1 first set win before closing out Anna Philp in the second, 6-4.

Tomorrow's championship match can be streamed live on The American Digital Network.

Singles
1. Ksenia Laskutova (TU) def. Lauren Bellinger (CIN) 6-1, 6-0
2. Rongrong Leenabanchong (TU) vs. Kelly Poggensee-Wei (CIN) 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
3. Mahitha Dadireddy (TU) vs. Antonella Bramato (CIN) 6-2, 2-4, unfinished
4. Martina Okalova (TU) vs. Caroline Morton (CIN) 6-7 (5), unfinished
5. Martha Matoula (TU) def. Anna Philp (CIN) 6-1, 6-4
6. Marcelina Cichon (TU) def. Harley Hutchison (CIN) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles
1. Ksenia Laskutova/Mahitha Dadireddy (TU) def. Lauren Bellinger/Kelly Poggensee-Wei (CIN) 6-0
2. Rongrong Leenabanchong/Martha Matoula (TU) def. Harley Hutchison/Ali Miller (CIN) 6-0
3. Martina Okalova/Vera Ploner (TU) vs. Antonella Bramato/Caroline Morton (CIN) 4-3, unfinished