LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 19 Kansas held on to defeat Big 12 opponent Baylor, 4-3, inside the Jayhawk Tennis Center on Friday evening, as freshman Tamari Gagoshidze secured the win on court five to defeat the No. 53 ranked Baylor Bears.
Kansas improves to 11-2 in dual matches this season, including a perfect 7-0 at home this season. Kansas will face another Big 12 test on Sunday, when the Jayhawks host No. 14 Texas at 12 p.m. CT.
In doubles play, Carmen Roxana Manu and Jocelyn Massey topped Liubov Kostenko and Alina Scherbinina 6-3 on Court 3 to give the Jayhawks an early advantage in doubles. Kansas’ Maria Titova and Tamari Gagoshidze fell to Isabella Harvison and Anita Sahdiieva, 6-2, which led to Malkia Ngounoue and Heike Janse Van Vuuren clinching the doubles point by defeating Daniella Dimitrov and Paula Baranano 7-6.
In singles play, Manu took down Sahdiieva 6-3, 7-5 to give Kansas a 2-0 advantage. Baylor got on the board as Silvia Maria Costache lost to Paula Baranano 1-6, 6-2, 1-6. No. 45 Ngounoue then topped No. 92 Harvison 7-6, 6-2 to give Kansas a 3-2 lead.
Leading 3-2, Titova fell to Scherbinina 6-3, 7-6 and Vuuren lost to Kostenko 6-7, 6-0, 2-6, to tie the match at 3-3, with only Court 5 in play. Gagoshidze, of Tbilisi, Georgia rallied to defeat Baylor’s Dimitrov, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, to give Kansas the victory.
Next up, the Jayhawks will host No. 14 Texas on Sunday March 19th at 12 p.m. CT.
Doubles
- Ngounoue / Vuuren def. Dimitrov / Baranano 7-6
- Gagoshidze / Titova lost to Harvison / Sahdiieva 2-6
- Manu / Massey def. Kostenko / Scherbinina 6-3
Singles
- #45 Ngounoue def. #92 Harvison 7-6, 6-2
- Titova lost to Scherbinina 3-6, 6-7
- Manu def. Sahdiieva 6-3, 7-5
- Vuuren lost to Kostenko 6-7, 6-0, 2-6
- Gagoshidze vs. Dimitrov 3-6, 7-6, 6-4
- Costache lost to Baranano 1-6, 6-2, 1-6
