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Kansas
No. 7 Women’s Tennis downs No. 60 Kansas, 4-2
03.28.2024 | Women's Tennis
With the victory, the Longhorns earned their seventh win in the last eight matches.
Lawrence, Kansas – No. 7 Texas Women's Tennis (14-4, 7-1) defeated No. 60 Kansas (5-11, 3-5), 4-2, on Thursday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center in Lawrence, Kansas.
After clinching the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2, Texas received singles victories from seniors Charlotte Chavatipon at No. 3, Shachf Lieberman at No. 6, and Tanya Sasnouskaya on No. 2 for the clinch.
In doubles, Lieberman and senior Taisiya Pachkaleva fell to Maria Titova and Tamari Gagoshidze, 6-2, on No. 3 for the first result. After Kansas opened with a break and a hold, Texas got a deuce-point hold for 2-1. However, Kansas answered with a 3-0 run to make it 5-1, and although Texas managed another hold for 5-2, Kansas held serve to win the match in the ensuing game.
On No. 1, Sasnouskaya and senior Malaika Rapolu defeated Gracie Mulville and Jocelyn Massie, 6-2. After each team broke to open at 1-1, Texas went on a 4-0 run to go up, 5-1. Kansas earned a deuce-point hold for 5-2, but the Longhorns held in the next game to close out the win.
At No. 2, Chavatipon and sophomore Vivian Ovrootsky defeated Kyoka Kubo and Heike Janse Van Vuuren, 7-5, to clinch the doubles point for Texas. The match stayed on serve for the first 10 games until the Longhorns managed the only break for 6-5 and then consolidated it for the win.
In singles, Chavatipon finished first as she took down Kubo, 6-3, 7-5 ,on No. 3. In the first set, Kubo opened with a hold and a break to go up 2-0 before Chavatipon did the same to tie it, 2-2. After Kubo regained the lead in the next game, Chavatipon went on a 4-0 run win the first set. Chavatipon's momentum continued into the second set where she took a 3-1 lead after a deuce-point hold. Kubo responded with a 4-0 run to make it 5-3 after deuce-point wins to go up, 4-3 and 5-3. Just when it looked like a third set was likely, Chavatipon went on another 4-0 run that included two deuce-point wins to grab the second set, 7-5, and earn the victory.
At No. 4, Van Vuuren defeated Pachkaleva, 6-2, 7-6 (6) to give Kansas their first overall point. After the first set opened with a pair of breaks, Van Vuuren went on a 4-0 run to take a 5-1 advantage. Pachkaleva managed a deuce-point hold for 5-2, but Van Vuuren had a deuce-point hold of her own to close out the first set, 6-2. In the second, both players stayed on serve for the first three games before Pachkaleva went up a break, 3-1. After both players traded deuce-point wins, Van Vuren earned the break back and tied it, 4-4. Following that, both players stayed on serve and forced a tiebreaker. In the breaker, Pachkaleva opened with a 5-1 run and eventually took a 6-3 lead. However, Van Vuuren managed to rally and score five consecutive points to win, 8-6.
On No. 1, Mulville defeated Rapolu 6-3, 7-5 to give the Jayhawks their second point. In the first set, Mulville opened with a hold and a deuce-point break before eventually going up, 4-1. Rapolu managed to take the next two games, but Mulville closed it out with a deuce-point hold to win the first set. In the second, Mulville got off to a fast start again with a 3-1 lead, but Rapolu later managed to tie it, 4-4, after a deuce-point break, but Mulville took three of the next four games to win the match.
Lieberman won her match against Tamari Gagoshidze, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 6 to give Texas a 3-2 overall lead. After both players held to begin the first set, Lieberman went on a 4-0 run to take a 5-1 lead before Gagoshidze managed a break for 5-2. Lieberman then closed it out in the ensuing game. In the second set, Gagoshidze jumped out to a 4-2 lead before Lieberman got the break back on a deuce point and then held to tie it, 4-4. After Gagoshidze earned a deuce-point win to go up, 5-4, Lieberman won three consecutive games to win the second set, 7-5.
The clinching match for Texas was won by Sasnouskaya at No. 2 as she defeated Titova, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Despite losing all three deuce points in the first set, Sasnouskaya managed to overcome a 5-3 deficit to go up 6-5 before Titova won the next game to force a tiebreaker. In the breaker, Titova opened up with a 4-1 lead, but Sasnouskaya battled back for a 5-5 score. After Titova won the next point, Sasnouskaya fought off a set point to make it 6-6 before winning the next two and taking the set. After a long, hard fought first set, the second set moved much quicker. Sasnouskaya cruised to a 6-2 win without any games going to deuce point to clinch the team victory for Texas.
The match between Ovrootsky and Massie was left unfinished at No. 5. After Ovrootsky dropped the first set, she battled back in the second set to win, 6-3, and force a decisive third set. The third set was 3-2 in favor of Massie when play was stopped.
Up next, the Longhorns will travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State on Saturday, March 30, at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT.
#7 Texas 4, #60 Kansas 2
Singles – Order of Finish (3,4,1,6,2)
1. Gracie Mulville (KU) def. #23 Malaika Rapolu (TEXAS) 6-3, 7-5
2. #32 Tanya Sasnouskaya (TEXAS) def. Maria Titova (KU) 7-6 (6), 6-2
3. Charlotte Chavatipon (TEXAS) def. Kyoka Kubo (KU) 6-3, 7-5
4. H Janse Van Vuuren (KU) def. #111 Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEXAS) 6-2, 7-6 (6)
5. Jocelyn Massey (KU) vs. Vivian Ovrootsky (TEXAS) 6-3, 3-6, 3-2, unf.
6. Shachf Lieberman (TEXAS) def. Tamari Gagoshidze (KU) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles – Order of Finish (3,1,2)
1. Malaika Rapolu/Tanya Sasnouskaya (TEXAS) def. Jocelyn Massey/Gracie Mulville (KU) 6-2
2. Charlotte Chavatipon/Vivian Ovrootsky (TEXAS) def. Kyoka Kubo/H Janse Van Vuuren (KU) 7-5
3. Jasmine Adams/Maria Titova (KU) def. Taisiya Pachkaleva/Shachf Lieberman (TEXAS) 6-2
Players Mentioned
