Khmelnitckaia, Koch move on at ITA National Fall Championships

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Kansas tennis notched two victories on day two of the ITA National Fall Championships in Surprise, Arizona, at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex on Thursday.
 
Following her singles win on Wednesday, senior Jayhawk Nina Khmelnitckaia was bested by the No. 76 Georgia’s Marta Gonzalez, 6-3, 6-1. After falling short Wednesday, Janet Koch triumphed over Stanford’s No. 47 Caroline Lampl, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the consolation bracket. Kansas junior Maria Toran Ribes’ tournament run came to an end Thursday when Sabina Machalova defeated her, 6-2, 6-2. Machalova, an Ole Miss Rebel, is ranked No. 53 in the country.

In doubles play, the Kansas duo of Khmelnitckaia and Koch took on former Big 12 foe Missouri’s Mackenzy Middlebrooks and Ellie Wright. The Jayhawk tandem won the match in two sets, 6-2, 6-2.
 
QUOTES
Kansas head coach Todd Chapman
On the team’s performance:
“Janet (Koch) played solid in singles and doubles and was a great competitor in both matches. She and Nina (Khmelnitckaia) played with great energy in doubles and stayed loose.That is how they play best.”
 
RESULTS
Singles
No. 76 Marta Gonzalez (Georgia) def. Khmelnitckaia (Kansas), 6-3, 6-1
No. 53 Sabina Machalova (Ole Miss) def. Toran Ribes (Kansas), 6-2, 6-2
No. 124 Koch (Kansas) def. No. 47 Caroline Lampl (Stanford), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
 
Doubles
Khmelnitckaia/Koch (Kansas) def. Middlebrooks/Wright (Missouri), 6-3, 6-3
 
UP NEXT
The ITA National Fall Championships continue Friday with the round of 16 and quarterfinals of the singles main and consolation brackets followed by the doubles quarterfinal main and consolation brackets. Koch will continue competition in singles and doubles play with fellow Jayhawks Khmelnitckaia.

Kansas tennis will close out the fall portion of its 2018-19 season at the Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational in Tempe, Arizona. Newcomers Julia Deming and Plobrung Plipuech will look to end the fall season on a high note when they take to the court. Competition at the Whiteman Tennis Center begins Friday, Nov. 9 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 11.
 
Kansas joins host school Arizona State along with California, Illinois, Kansas State, Michigan, Mississippi State, San Diego, TCU, Texas Tech and Washington to comprise the field in Tempe. Play begins for the Jayhawks with doubles at 2:30 p.m., and singles at 3 p.m., Friday, local time, at the Whiteman Tennis Center. Neither live stats or live streaming are available for this particular tournament.

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