LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s tennis team notched its second home win of the season by defeating Iowa State, 5-2 in their Big 12 Conference home opener at the Jayhawk Tennis Center on Saturday.
Kansas (4-7, 2-1 Big 12) secured its second-straight win and second win at home this season while Iowa State (2-8, 0-8 Big 12) drops its eighth-straight match. The Jayhawks extend their series lead over the Cyclones to 47-6 all-time, including Kansas’ first win in the series since 2020.
The Jayhawks had the upper hand early as Iowa State forfeited court three of doubles. Kansas wasted no time claiming the doubles point as Jocelyn Massey and Heike Janse Van Vuuren paired for a 6-3 victory over Iowa State’s Valeska San Martin Ramirez and Ashlee Narker to take a 1-0 lead.
Kansas’ match with Kyoka Kubo and Gracie Mulville went unfinished at 5-3.
Iowa State would also forfeit court six in singles, which gave Kansas a 2-0 advantage heading into singles play.
Playing on court five, Tamari Gagoshidze put Kansas up 3-0 with a decisive 6-0, 6-2 victory over Iowa State’s Gala Arangio. Moments later, Kansas’ Maria Titova clinched the match with a strong 6-0, 7-5 victory over Isabella Dunlap.
With the match clinched, Iowa State won a pair of matches on courts one and three, as Gracie Mulville was defeated by Anna Kuearum, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 10-4 and Kyoka Kubo was defeated for the first time this season, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 to Iowa State’s Ashlee Narker.
Heike Janse Van Vuuren rounded out the match for the Jayhawks with a battle on court four, defeating Valeska San Martin of Iowa State, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
The Jayhawks will return home for a pair of matches at the Jayhawk Tennis Center, as Kansas hosts Big 12 foes Texas Tech on Thursday, March 14 and BYU on Saturday, March 16. Admission to the Jayhawk Tennis Center is free.
