Okalova, Ploner Extend Doubles Winning Streak in Loss at #5 Duke

Sunday, January 26

Durham, N.C.

1:00 pm CT

Tulsa

Duke

Photo by: Brian Ray

Okalova, Ploner Extend Doubles Winning Streak in Loss at #5 Duke

1/26/2020 4:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. - Martina Okalova and Vera Ploner improved their doubles winning streak to six matches on Sunday, as the No. 3-seeded Tulsa women's tennis team suffered their first loss in 2020 against top-seeded and fifth-ranked Duke, 4-0 in the Durham regional championship match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Golden Hurricane (6-1) played both of its tournament matches at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center on the campus of Duke University.

Trailing 1-0 in doubles, the Hurricane recovered from deficits at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, respectively. The 40th-ranked senior tandem continued to exchange games with the Blue Devils (4-0) Chloe Beck and Kelly Chen, before pulling out the win, 7-5. Laia Conde Monfort and Megan Hopton rallied and forced a tie at 5-5 at No. 2 doubles. But Margaryta Bilokin and Yasmine Mansouri pulled away and put Duke on the scoreboard, 7-5.

In singles, the Hurricane quickly fell behind 3-0. Lian Benedejcic suffered a straight-sets loss to No. 25 Beck at No. 5 singles, followed by Poppe dropping her match at No. 2 singles to Mansouri. Ploner presented a challenge to No. 67 Bilokin in the No. 3 slot, but fell to the Blue Devil 6-4, 6-3.

Conde Monfort presented a challenge for No. 77 Meible Chi at No. 4 singles. The freshman was able to claim the opening set, 6-4, but the match went unfinished.

Tulsa returns to action on Saturday, February 1, as the Hurricane travel to in-state rival and 10th-ranked Oklahoma State for a 2 p.m. dual.

For all Tulsa women's tennis news and information, visit TulsaHurricane.com. Be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Tulsa vs. #5 Duke Final Results
Singles competition
1. #10 Kelly Chen (DU) vs. #52 Martina Okalova (TLS-W) 6-2, 4-2, unfinished
2. Yasmine Mansouri (DU) def. Shura Poppe (TLS-W) 6-0, 6-3
3. #67 Margaryta Bilokin (DU) def. Vera Ploner (TLS-W) 6-4, 6-1
4. #77 Meible Chi (DU) vs. Laia Conde Monfort (TLS-W) 4-6, 4-3, unfinished
5. #25 Chloe Beck (DU) def. Lian Benedejcic (TLS-W) 6-1, 6-2
6. Hannah Zhao (DU) vs. Marina Davtyan (TLS-W) 6-4, 4-0, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #40 Martina Okalova/Vera Ploner (TLS-W) def. No. Chloe Beck/Kelly Chen (DU) 7-5
2. Margaryta Bilokin/Yasmine Mansouri (DU) def. Laia Conde Monfort/Megan Hopton (TLS-W) 7-5
3. Meible Chi/Hannah Zhao (DU) def. Elodie Foster/Shura Poppe (TLS-W) 6-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3)