Kansas comes up short against No. 10 Michigan

Anastasia Rychagova returned a point during her 6-4 doubles win with Despoina Vogasari.

No. 10 Michigan 6, Kansas 1
Varsity Tennis Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan

January 21, 2018

 DOUBLES

No. 1 Najarian/Fahey (MICH) def. Khmelnitckaia/Nikolaeva (KU) 6-0
No. 2 Lommer/Jones (MICH) def. Koch/Toran Ribes (KU) 7-5
No. 3 Rychagova/Vogasari (KU) def. Ruder-Hook/Hall (MICH) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1,3,2

 SINGLES

No. 1 #33 Fahey (MICH) def. #94 Vogasari (KU) 6-4, 7-5
No. 2 #74 Lommer (MICH) def. #90 Koch (KU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Jones (MICH) def. #112 Khmelnitckaia (KU) 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 Toran Ribes (KU) def. Patiuk (MICH) 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 Ruder-Hook (MICH) def. Nikolaeva (KU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Lorenzini (MICH) def. Policare (KU) 6-4, 6-2

Order of Finish: 3,4,6,1,5,2Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Kansas women’s tennis team’s final score against No. 10-ranked Michigan, a 6-1 loss, did not reflect the fight of the Jayhawks Sunday at the Varsity Tennis Center.
 
Starting with doubles, at the No. 1 position, Nina Khmelnitckaia and Tatiana Nikolaeva were blanked by Alex Najarian and Kate Fahey, 6-0.
 
Playing in the No. 3 position, Anastasia Rychagova and Despoina Vogasari jumped out to an early 2-0 lead against Mira Ruder-Hook and Kara Hall. The KU duo then went up, 5-2, but the Wolverines won two-straight games to make it 5-4. Playing together for the first time all season, Rychagova and Vogasari came out on top, 6-4, winning KU’s only doubles match.
 
“Before you can beat an elite team, you have to believe you are one yourself,” said head coach Todd Chapman. “That is what (Sunday’s) match came down to. Michigan played the big moments with more composure and confidence than we did. We played ourselves into some really nice situations, but we weren’t bold and confident enough in those situations.”
 
Janet Koch and Maria Toran Ribes faced Chiara Lommer and Alyvia Jones at No. 2 doubles. After a back-and-forth match, the Michigan duo defeated Koch and Toran Ribes, 7-5, putting Michigan up, 1-0.
 
Moving on to singles, Khmelnitckaia stayed within one game of Alyvia Jones during the first set, but ultimately dropped it, 6-4, at the No. 3 spot. Jones made quick work of Khmelnitckaia in the second set to earn a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
 
Lining up as the No. 4 player, Toran Ribes won three-consecutive games to take a 5-3 lead over Lera Patiuk before taking the set, 6-4. Toran Ribes then won three-straight games to open her second set, 3-0. She only allowed Patiuk one game in the second to win the match, 6-4, 6-1, and give the Jayhawks their only point on the day.
 
Amber Policare, in the No. 6 position, won two-straight games to tie her first set, 4-4, with Bella Lorenzini. Policare wasn’t able to complete the comeback and fell in the first, 6-4. Lorenzini won four games in a row in the second to win the match, 6-4, 6-2.
 
In the No. 1 spot, No. 94 Vogasari took an early 3-2 lead over the No. 33-ranked Fahey. After a toe-to-toe first set, the Wolverine prevailed 6-4. After jumping out to an early lead, Vogasari found herself down, 4-2. She won three-straight games to go up, 5-4, but ultimately dropped her match, 6-4, 7-5.
 
Competing in the No. 5 position, Nikolaeva battled in back-and-forth, first-set games against Ruder-Hook. The KU sophomore finished by winning two-straight to take the set, 6-4. Ruder-Hook came back to claim the second set, 6-2, sending the pair into a third. Ruder-Hook dominated the third set to win the match, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
 
Playing in the No. 2 position, No. 94-ranked Janet breezed through her first set against No. 74 CLommer with a 6-2 victory. Koch went up, 2-0, in the second, but Lommer won six-consecutive games to win the second set, 6-2, and force a third. Lommer brought the same intensity to the third to win the match, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
 
“We definitely have a lot we can take away from this match if we are honest with ourselves about what truly cost us this match,” said Chapman. “We have a big weekend to get ready for so we will get back to work and prepare for a very good Ohio State team.”
 
Up next, Kansas heads to Columbus, Ohio, for ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Jayhawks will face No. 13 Ohio State Friday, January 26 at 9 a.m., CT. Following, KU will play either No. 18 Arkansas at 3 p.m., or Wake Forest at 6 p.m., CT.
 
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