🎾 No. 19 Kansas Sweeps Drake, 7-0

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Jayhawks swept the Bulldogs, 7-0, in their home-opener, Saturday evening at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

Kansas continued its dominant doubles play from last season by notching the doubles point. Malkia Ngounoue and Luniuska Delgado defeated Liza Petushkova and Joely Lomas, 6-3. Sophomore Sonia Smagina and freshman Vasiliki Karvouni triumphed over Daria Walczak and Carmen Palumbo, 6-0, to give KU the doubles match point. 

“Today was a nice start to our season,” said Kansas head coach Todd Chapman. “We definitely had to battle some nerves as it was four of our players’ first-team match. I thought we did a good job in singles of settling, pushing the nerves aside and controlling the match. We now will get some rest and get ready for a good Wichita State team on a quick turnaround.”

All six Jayhawks earned victories in singles in a dominant fashion. Smagina ranked No. 63 in the nation, bested Petushkova, 6-0, 6-1, and Ngounoue, also ranked in the top-100 at No. 93, defeated Palumbo, 6-3, 6-1. Freshmen Delgado, Carmen Roxana Manu and Karvouni each posted their first dual match as Jayhawks. Senior, Toran Ribes, earned the Jayhawks’ final point of the night as she triumphed over Megan Webb, 6-3, 6-2.

Results

Singles

No. 63 Sonia Smagina (KU) def. Liza Petushkova (DU), 6-0, 6-1

No. 93 Malkia Ngounoue (KU) def. Carmen Palumbo (DU), 6-3, 6-3

Luniuska Delgado (KU) def. Maria Tatarnikova (DU), 6-0, 6-4

Carmen Roxana Manu (KU) def. Kelsey Nelville (DU), 6-3, 6-2

Vasiliki Karvouni (KU) def. Daria Walczak (DU), 6-0, 6-0

Maria Toran Ribes (KU) def. Megan Webb (DU), 6-3, 6-2

Doubles

Ngounoue/ Delgado (KU) def. Petushkova/Joely Lomas (DU), 6-3

Smagina/ Karvouni (KU) def. Walczak/ Palumbo (DU), 6-0

Neville/ Tatarnikova (DU) def. Manu/Julia Deming (KU), 6-3

Up Next

The Jayhawks host Wichita State on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 1 p.m., at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.