🎾 Kansas Takes Down Arkansas in Home Opener

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Tennis Team earned the doubles point and then picked up four singles victories to defeat Arkansas 5-2 in its home opener Sunday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

The Jayhawks started the afternoon by picking up the doubles point. Raphaelle Lacasse and Mariana Manyoma-Velaquez started with a resounding 6-2 victory on Court 3. Sonia Smagina and Tiffany Lagarde fell 6-2 on Court 2, but the Jayhawks were able to bounce back and secure the doubles point when Malika Ngounoue and Maria Titova took down Arkansas’ Morgan Cross and Tatum Rice 6-4 on Court 1.

In the singles part of the afternoon, Kansas continued to build its lead. On Court 2, Titova notched the first victory when she took down Indianna Spink by scores of 6-3 and 6-0, giving the Jayhawks a 2-0 advantage over the Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks scored their first point of the day on court four when Kansas’ Lacasse fell in her match. Lacasse won the first set 6-0, but fell in the next two 3-6 and 5-7.

Kansas answered on Court 6 when Manyoma-Velasquez won her match. She got an early lead going up 6-4 in the first set, but fell 3-6 in the second. The third set was back-and-forth, but Manyoma-Velasquez powered through and won 7-6, giving Kansas its third point of the day.

The Jayhawks earned their game-winning point when Ngounoue won in her match. In an even-matchup, she took the first set 7-6, but dropped the second 5-7. She answered with a comfortable 6-1 win in the final set. Her victory moved the overall score to 4-1 and solidified the Jayhawk victory. Smagina earned the fifth and final point for Kansas, winning her match 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

Up Next

Kansas will head to Lincoln, Neb. to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on February 11. The Match is set to start at 5 p.m. CT.

Singles Results:

Court 1: Ngounoue (KAN) def Rice 7-6, 5-7, 6-1

Court 2: Titova (KAN) Def Spink 6-3, 6-0

Court 3: Smagina (KAN) def Keller 7-5, 4-6, 6-4

Court 4: Stara def Lacasse (KAN) 6-0, 3-6, 5-7

Court 5: Cross def Lagarde (KAN) 4-6, 7-6, 7-5

Court 6: Manyoma-Velasquez (KAN) def Rijkers 6-4, 3-6, 7-6

Doubles Results:

Court 1: Ngounoue/Titova (KAN) def Cross/Rice 6-4

Court 2: Rijkers/Stara def Lagarde/Smagina (KAN) 6-2

Court 3: Lacasse/Manyoma-Velaquez (KAN) def Keller/Spink 6-2