No. 16 Kansas falls at No. 18 Texas, 4-3

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 16-ranked Kansas tennis dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 18 Texas Sunday afternoon at the Texas Tennis Center.
 
With the score tied 3-3, the match came down to the first singles court. In a hard-fought battle, No. 23-ranked KU senior Anastasia Rychagova fell to UT’s No. 75-ranked Bianca Turati, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1. 
 
The Jayhawks started the match well by taking the doubles point. Kansas’ third doubles team of Maria Toran Ribes and Malkia Ngounoue blanked Fernanda Labrana and Bajona Markovic, 6-0. The Jayhawks’ No. 5-ranked doubles team of Janet Koch and Nina Khmelnitckaia then bested Tijana Spasojevic and Petra Grancic, 6-3, giving KU the doubles point. KU’s No. 61-ranked Rychagova and Sonia Smagina’s No. 2 doubles match ended unfinished after Kansas claimed the doubles point.

In singles play, Kansas sophomore Plobrung Plipuech lost to No. 52-ranked Petra Granic, 6-1, 6-3, at third singles. On court six, Toran Ribes fell to Katie Poluta, 6-1, 7-5, giving Texas a 2-1 lead.
 
At second singles, No. 42-ranked Anna Turati topped No. 101-ranked Koch, 6-3, 6-4, moving the Longhorns’ lead to 3-1.
 
On court four, KU’s Khmelnitckaia beat No. 105-ranked Bojana Markovic, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, narrowing the Texas lead to 3-2. Smagina then tied the match for the Jayhawks, defeating Labrana on court five, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, setting up the drama on court one.
 
The Jayhawks drop to 11-4 overall, 2-2 in the Big 12 Conference. Texas’ record improves to 9-3 and 2-0 in Big 12 play.

QUOTES
Head coach Todd Chapman
“The match today came down to Texas handling the big moments with much better composure and maturity. Hopefully, we can learn from this and be better for the stretch run of Big 12 matches.”

UP NEXT
No. 16 Kansas begins a homestand for their remaining five Big 12 Conference matches. The Jayhawks will host Texas Tech on Friday, March 29, at 5 p.m., at the Jayhawk Tennis Center at Rock Chalk Park. On Sunday, March 31, the Horned Frogs of TCU head to Lawrence; first serve is slated for noon.
 
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