Hutchings’ Clinch Sends Tulsa to AAC Semifinal

Friday, April 18

Memphis, Tenn.

12:00 p.m.

Tulsa

Wichita State

Photo by: Ben Naylor/American Athletic Conference

Hutchings’ Clinch Sends Tulsa to AAC Semifinal

4/18/2025 4:59:00 PM | Women's Tennis

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Senior Lily Hutchings of Preston, England, survived a three-set battle Friday to clinch Tulsa's 4-3 quarterfinal win over Wichita State (13-10), sending the Golden Hurricane to the American Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship Semifinals.

TU got revenge for its 4-1 loss to the Shockers on March 4 to move to 18-7 on the season and 19-6 all-time in the AAC Championship. The Hurricane will face undefeated No. 1 seed Florida Atlantic (16-0) Saturday at 2 p.m. Central.

The doubles point came down to ranked senior duo Maria Berlanga Bandera and Lily Hutchings in the first position after freshman Isabella Basson and sophomore Tayla Wilmot claimed the No. 3 spot 6-2 and the Shockers took the second court. 43^rd-ranked Berlanga and Hutchings would close out a 6-4 decision over No. 77 Giorgia Roselli and Xin Tong Wang to earn TU the opening score of the match.

Five of the six singles matches would play to two sets, starting with the four-spot which Wichita State captured 6-0, 6-3. Berlanga responded atop the lineup with a 7-5, 6-1, putting her at 25-7 overall and 18-5 in dual matches this year.

The Shockers then pulled ahead 3-2 after winning the second and sixth courts in straight sets, forcing Hutchings and senior Ana Naranjo Martinez to close out their matches.

Naranjo was the first to finish, putting away a 6-2, 7-5 victory to improve to 12-2 in dual-match action.

All eyes in Memphis shifted to Hutchings in the No. 3 position as she had reached a 3-1 lead in the third set. Hutchings kept her composure and executed tactful swings to finish out the stanza 6-2 to secure the Hurricane's 4-3 quarterfinal win. It was Hutchings' 20^th singles win of the year, improving to 20-11 overall and 14-7 in dual matches.

Singles
1. #86 Maria Berlanga Bandera (TU) def. #104 Xin Tong Wang (WSU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Giorgia Roselli (WSU) def. Mariana Manyoma Velasquez (TU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Lily Hutchings (TU) def. Kristina Kudryavtseva (WSU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
4. Theodora Chantava (WSU) def. Tayla Wilmot (TU) 6-0, 6-3
5. Ana Naranjo Martinez (TU) def. Tatyana Nikolenko (WSU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Anne Knuettel (WSU) def. Erin McKenzie (TU) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. #43 Berlanga/Hutchings (TU) def. #77 Roselli/Wang (WSU) 6-4
2. Chantava/Kudryavtseva (WSU) def. Naranjo/Velasquez (TU) 6-3
3. Basson/Wilmot (TU) def. Knuettel/Whitaker (WSU) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,1,6,2,5,3)