The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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TCU
Women's Tennis falls to No. 17 TCU in Big 12 quarterfinals, 4-3
04.24.2015 | Women's Tennis
Longhorns and Horned Frogs split six opening singles matches before deciding the outcome in the doubles session.
WACO, Texas – Texas (10-11) challenged No. 17 TCU (18-7) in a lengthy contest delayed by inclement weather, but the Horned Frogs held off the Longhorns by a 4-3 count Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Big 12 Championships at Baylor's Hurd Tennis Center. TCU advances to Saturday's semifinals where it will meet top-seeded Baylor.
Inclement weather forced a change in format for all of Friday's matches at the Big 12 Championships with the six singles matches to start the contest in place of the traditional three doubles matches, with doubles to be contested only if the teams split the six singles matches.
TCU's Simona Parajova raced out to a 3-0 lead on UT sophomore Neda Koprcina at second singles and closed out a 6-1 first-set win. Koprcina broke Parajova to pull within 5-4 in the second set, but Parajova broke Koprcina in the ensuing game to close out a straight-sets win and give TCU a 1-0 lead.
At fifth singles, UT's Lina Padegimaite broke TCU's Alexis Pereira for a 5-4 lead and held serve in the next game to close the first set, 6-4. Leading 4-3 in the second set, Padegimaite broke Pereira once more for 5-3 and held serve to close out a 6-4, 6-3 win and pull the Longhorns even.
At third singles, UT sophomore Ratnika Batra jumped out to a 4-0 lead over TCU's Sofiko Kadzhaya before Kadzhaya pulled within 5-4. Batra served out the next game to close out a 6-4 first-set win. Batra broke Kadzhaya and held for a 2-0 lead and never let up. The New Delhi, India, native finished off a 6-3 second-set lead to stake the Longhorns to a 2-1 lead.
At fourth singles, UT sophomore Pippa Horn held for a 5-4 lead over TCU's Palina Dubavets, but Dubavets held serve, broke Horn and held once more to win the first set 7-5. Dubavets finished off the second set, 6-2 to pull the Horned Frogs even.
All-America junior Breaunna Addison broke TCU's 79th-ranked Stefanie Tan early in their match at first singles, and Addison ultimately closed out the opening set, 6-2. Addison held a 5-3 second-set lead, but Tan held serve and broke Addison to even the set at five. Addison broke for a 6-5 lead, and her backhand winner down the left sideline put away a 6-2, 7-5 win that gave Texas a 3-2 lead.
At sixth singles, TCU's Seda Arantekin broke UT freshman Dani Wagland for a 4-2 lead for holding on to take the first set, 6-4. Wagland raced out to a 5-2 lead in the second set before Arantekin closed within 5-4. Wagland broke Arantekin in the next game and finished off the set with a passing forehand winner to force a third set.
Wagland held serve and broke Arantekin for a 2-0 third-set lead before Arantekin followed suit and evened the match at two-all. Arantekin broke for a 4-3 lead before Wagland broke back for four-all. Arantekin produced another key service break for 5-4 before holding serve to close out a three-set win and even the team score at three.
UT's Ratnika Batra and Lina Padegimaite fell behind 3-1 to TCU's Kadzhaya and Parajova at third doubles before breaking the TCU tandem's serve and holding serve for three-all. TCU broke for a 5-3 lead before Batra and Padegimaite broke TCU at love to pull within 5-4. However, Kadzhaya and Parajova returned the favor and closed out a 6-4 win.
At second doubles, UT's Horn and Koprcina took a 2-0 lead on TCU's Pereira and Dubavets and later pushed the lead to 4-1. The Horned Frogs, however, claimed the ensuing five games to post a 6-4 win, claim the doubles point and complete TCU's 4-3 quarterfinal victory. TCU held a 5-4 lead in the remaining match at first doubles, though the match was suspended when the team outcome was clinched.
No. 17 TCU 4, No. 32 Texas 3
Doubles – Order of Finish: 3, 2
1 No. 33 Seda Arantekin/Stefanie Tan (TCU) vs. No. 58 Breaunna Addison/Dani Wagland (UT), suspended
2 Palina Dubavets/Alexis Pereira (TCU) def. Pippa Horn/Neda Koprcina (UT), 6-4
3 Sofiko Kadzhaya/Simona Parajova (TCU) def. Ratnika Batra/Lina Padegimaite (UT), 6-4
Singles – Order of Finish: 2, 5, 3, 4, 1, 6
1 No. 50 Breaunna Addison (UT) def. No. 79 Stefanie Tan (TCU), 6-2, 7-5
2 No. 44 Simona Parajova (TCU) def. Neda Koprcina (UT), 6-1, 6-4
3 Ratnika Batra (UT) def. Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU), 6-4, 6-3
4 Palina Dubavets (TCU) def. Pippa Horn (UT), 7-5, 6-2
5 Lina Padegimaite (UT) def. Alexis Pereira (TCU), 6-4, 6-3
6 Seda Arantekin (TCU) def. Dani Wagland (UT), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Texas head coach Danielle Lund McNamara
I thought I saw a lot of fight from our team. Obviously, with a 4-3 match it's just a matter of points here or there. I thought we definitely battled well. We improved from the last time we played them when we lost 4-0. That's a step in the right direction, so we will just have to build off of the good things."
Players Mentioned
