April 15, 2011

Results

TULSA, Okla. - The regular season came to end on Friday night for Memphis women's tennis when the squad fell by a 5-2 decision to the 20th-ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane at the Case Tennis Center. With the loss, the U of M will head into Conference USA Championships with a 15-9 overall mark (3-3 C-USA), while Tulsa (22-2, 3-0 C-USA) improves its win streak to 17.

The Golden Hurricane came out firing, picking up a win at No. 3 doubles, where Lady Tigers Andrea Arques-Garcia and Stefanie Mikesz fell to Bonny Davidson and Sam Vickers 8-2. TU would clinch the first point of the match with a subsequent win at the top slot, where senior duo Alexandra Kichoutkin and Jo-Anne Karaitiana defeated Courtney Collins and Kelly Gray 8-5.

Memphis tandem Mariya Slupska and Kathleen Hawkins would take down Ewa Szatkowska and Michelle Farley at the No. 2 slot, improving to 9-7 as a pairing.

In singles action, Collins, a sophomore from Fulton, Miss., showcased why she broke into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings this season with a dominating 6-2, 6-0 win over Szatkowska at the No. 2 position. Collins wraps up the regular season with a 17-6 singles record.

With, the dual tied at one point apiece, Gray, Hawkins, and Arques-Garica fell in straight sets at the No. 4-6 slots, tallying the victory for Tulsa. At the top flight, Slupska ended a four match win-streak coming up just short of forcing a third set, ultimately falling 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) to Kichoutkin, who is ranked 96th in ITA polls.

At No. 3 singles, Mikesz notched the other point for the Lady Tigers in a grueling three-set battle with Michelle Farley. Mikesz would take the super-tiebreaker and come out on top by a score of 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 1-0 (10-7).

The two squads will now prep for C-USA Championships in Orlando, Fla., hosted by UCF beginning Thursday, April 21. Seedings and match times will be released as soon as they are made available.

#20 Tulsa 5, Memphis 2

Singles competition
1. #96 Alexandra Kichoutkin (TLS) def. Mariya Slupska (MEM) 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)
2. Courtney Collins (MEM) def. Ewa Szatkowska (TLS) 6-2, 6-0
3. Stefanie Mikesz (MEM) def. Michelle Farley (TLS) 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)
4. Sam Vickers (TLS) def. Kelly Gray (MEM) 6-1, 6-1
5. Jo-Anne Karaitiana (TLS) def. Kathleen Hawkins (MEM) 7-5, 6-1
6. Maria Sant'Anna (TLS) def. Andrea Arques-Garcia (MEM) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Alexandra Kichoutkin/Jo-Anne Karaitiana (TLS) def. Courtney Collins/Kelly Gray (MEM) 8-5
2. Mariya Slupska/Kathleen Hawkins (MEM) def. Ewa Szatkowska/Michelle Farley (TLS) 8-7 (7-5)
3. Bonny Davidson/Sam Vickers (TLS) def. Andrea Arques-Garcia/Stefanie Mikesz (MEM) 8-2

Match Notes:
University of Memphis 15-9, 2-2 C-USA
Tulsa 22-2, 3-0 C-USA; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,4,6,5,1,3)