Kansas Cruises Past Iowa State, 4-1, In Big 12 Tournament

NORMAN, Okla. – The Kansas women’s tennis team advanced past the first round of the Big 12 Championships Thursday, defeating Iowa State, 4-1, at Headington Family Tennis Center.

The Jayhawks (11-9) pulled off easy wins at the No. 2 and 3 doubles positions to take the match’s first point before winning three of the first four completed singles matches to seal the victory.

“I’m pleased with how the girls came out, and their enthusiasm and the drive that they had today,” Kansas coach Amy Hall-Holt said. “It’s hard playing Iowa State back-to-back. The girls prevailed and I’m really happy for them.”

In doubles, junior Dylan Windom and freshman Maria Jose Cardona defeated ISU’s Simona Cacciuttolo, 8-4, at the No. 2 spot, while senior Victoria Khanevskaya and freshman Anastasija Trubica downed Emma Waites and Carolina Andersen, 8-3, in the No. 4 match.

Cardona, Trubica and Khanevskaya all earned straight-set victories in their singles matches, with Trubica grabbing the first chronological win, 6-0, 6-2, over Waites in the No. 5 match. Khanevskaya followed that effort with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Andersen at No. 6, while Cardona clinched KU’s team victory when she defeated Ksenia Pronina, 7-6 (2), 6-3 at the No. 2 spot.

Kansas defeated Iowa State, 4-3, on Sunday to finish its regular season. The Jayhawks will now face top-seeded Baylor in the tournament quarterfinals at 9 a.m. Friday.

“It’s definitely going to be tough playing No. 1 Baylor,” Hall-Holt said. “We have to come out with a fighting attitude and the mentality that’s it’s anybody’s ballgame right now.”

Kansas 4, Iowa State 1

DOUBLES

1. Los/Luduena (KU) vs. Langhorst/Pronina (ISU) DNF (8-8)

2. Windom/Cardona (KU) def. Cacciuttolo/Cassens (ISU) 8-4

3. Khanevskaya/Trubica (KU) def. Waites/Andersen (ISU) 8-3

SINGLES

1. Belen Luduena (KU) vs. Simona Cacciuttolo (ISU) DNF (4-6, 5-4)

2. Maria Jose Cardona (KU) def. Ksenia Pronina (ISU) 7-6 (2), 6-3

3.Meghan Cassens (ISU) def. Paulina Los (KU) 6-4, 6-1

4. Dylan Windom (KU) vs. Ana Gasparovic (ISU) DNF (1-6, 6-3, 1-0)

5. Anatasia Trubica (KU) def. Emma Waites (ISU) 6-0, 6-2

6. Victoria Khanevskaya (KU) def. Carolina Andersen (ISU) 6-3, 6-1

ORDER OF FINISH: Doubles: 3, 2. Singles: 5, 3, 6, 2.

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