The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Iowa State
No. 1 Women’s Tennis falls 4-1 to No. 14 Iowa State
02.11.2023 | Women's Tennis
The Longhorns will face No. 15 Oklahoma in a consolation round match at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on Sunday at 11 a.m. Central.
SEATTLE — The No. 1 University of Texas Women's Tennis team (7-1) dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 14 Iowa State (8-1) on Saturday in a quarterfinal match in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. The loss snapped a 19-game dual-match win streak for the Longhorns dating back to the 2022 season, as UT closed last year by winning its last 12 matches and began this season by winning its first seven matches.
With the defeat on Saturday, the Longhorns will close out play in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship with a consolation-round match against No. 15 Oklahoma on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. Central (9 a.m. Pacific).
The Cyclones claimed a 1-0 lead by earning the doubles point. The duo of Thasaporn Naklo and Anna Supapitch Kuearum posted a 6-2 victory on court 1 over the pair of freshman Nicole Khirin and junior Charlotte Chavatipon. The tandem of Ange Oby Kajuru and Xinyl Nong clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win on court 2 against the duo of junior Taisiya Pachkaleva and freshman Nicole Rivkin.
Texas evened the match score at 1-1 when graduate No. 113 Marlee Zein recorded a 6-2, 6-2 victory on court 6 over Chie Kezuka. Zein raced out to a 4-1 cushion in her opening set en route to a 6-2 set win. She followed the exact same script in the second set to close out her straight-set victory.
Iowa State responded by winning three-straight singles matches to close out the overall dual-match victory. Sofia Cabezas earned a 6-1, 6-4 win on court 5 over Rivkin, and No. 53 Oby Kajuru followed with a 6-2, 6-3 victory on court 2 against No. 61 Chavatipon. No. 123 Miska Kadlecklova added a 6-3, 6-3 win on court 4 over junior No. 69 Malaika Rapolu.
The remaining pair of singles matches featuring Khirin (court 1) and No. 71 Zeynalova (court 3) were halted after Kadlecklova's clinching victory. Khirin had an impressive showing in her match against No. 42 Naklo, as Khirin won the opening set by a score of 6-4 and held a 6-5 advantage in the second set when play was stopped. Zeynalova, who posted a 6-0 shutout in her opening set, faced a 3-1 deficit to Supapitch Kuearum in the third set when the overall dual-match result was decided.
No. 14 Iowa State 4, #1 Texas 1
Singles – Order of finish (6, 5, 2, 4)
- Nicole Khirin (UT) vs. #42 Thasaporn Naklo (ISU), 6-4, 6-5, unfinished
- #53 Ange Oby Kajuru (ISU) def. #61 Charlotte Chavatipon (UT), 6-2, 6-3
- #71 Sabina Zeynalova (UT) vs. Anna Supapitch Kuearum (ISU), 6-0, 2-6, 1-3, unfinished
- #123 Miska Kadleckova (ISU) def. #69 Malaika Rapolu (UT), 6-3, 6-3
- Sofia Cabezas (ISU) def. Nicole Rivkin (UT), 6-1, 6-4
- #113 Marlee Zein (UT) def. Chie Kezuka (ISU), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles – Order of finish (1, 2)
- Thasaporn Naklo/Anna Supapitch Kuearum (ISU) def. Nicole Khirin/Charlotte Chavatipon (UT), 6-2
- Ange Oby Kajuru/Xinyl Nong (ISU) def. Taisiya Pachkaleva/Nicole Rivkin (UT), 6-2
- Sabina Zeynalova/Marlee Zein (UT) vs. Miska Kadleckova/Sofia Cabezas (ISU), 4-4, unfinished
Players Mentioned
