🎾 Kansas Travels to West Virginia and Iowa State
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s tennis team starts a two-match weekend against West Virginia and Iowa State. First serve against the Mountaineers is set for 1 p.m. on Friday with an earlier 10 a.m. start against the Cyclones.
Last weekend, Kansas took on Wichita State and Kansas State one day a part. The Jayhawks fell in a tightly contested match in Wichita, 3-4. Tiffany Lagarde and Carmen Roxana Manu commenced doubles play with a tone setting victory of 6-2 on court three. The remaining doubles teams for Kansas were bested by Wichita State’s teams, as the Shockers moved ahead with the doubles point and a 1-0 lead. The Jayhawks were able to put themselves on the board with Malkia Ngounoue’s 6-2 and 6-3 victory, cutting into the Shocker’s lead. Ting-Ya Hsu extended the home team’s lead to 3-1 after wrapping her match up 6-2 and 6-3. Kansas found its rhythm with crucial finishes on courts six and four. The contest came down to the wire, with the fate of the match resting on court five in singles play, where Lagarde took on Jessie Zheng. After going the length, Zheng was able to garner the win for herself and her team.
The Jayhawks were able to snap a three-match losing streak, with their home win of 4-1 over the Wildcats. Kansas dominated in doubles play, with Manu and Lagarde concluding their match first with a resounding 6-1 victory. Smagina and Karouni matched that dominance, taking their matchup 6-1 as well. With the doubles point, the Jayhawks headed into singles play with a 1-0 lead over the Wildcats. Manu completed her match against Rosanna Maffei, 6-4 and 6-0. Karvouni’s match was just the same fundamentally sound performance over Margot Decker, 6-1 and 6-2. Kansas now held a commanding 3-0 lead over Kansas State. Court two was the next to finish play, where the Wildcats’ Maria Linares defeated Ngounoue 6-4 and 6-3. Linares victory cut into the Kansas lead but Kansas State wouldn’t be able to gain any momentum due to Deming’s court six win over Ioana Gheorghita. Deming wrapped up the match with victories of 6-4 and 6-3. The Jayhawks were able to close out the 4-1 triumph over the Wildcats.
Kansas faced Iowa State back on February 27 at the Jayhawk Tennis Center, taking the win 4-3 over the Cyclones. The Jayhawks got off to a hot start after a valiant effort in doubles, where Kansas took the point behind victories on courts two and three. Kansas continued their momentum in singles, extending their lead to 2-0 behind a victory from Vasiliki Karvouni, 6-0, 6-4. On court two, Ngounoue helped Kansas extend their lead, winning her match, 7-6, 6-2, while Deming claimed court six with a demanding win, 6-3, 6-2. The Jayhawks would go on to defeat the Cyclones, 4-3.
Following this weekend’s matchups, Kansas will open the month of April at Kansas State and then at home versus Texas.
