No. 17 Kansas defeats No. 25 Texas Tech, 5-2

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 17-ranked Kansas began its homestand of five-consecutive Big 12 Conference matches with a victory over No. 25 Texas Tech Friday night at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.
 
Ranked No. 5 in the nation, the senior Jayhawk duo of Janet Koch and Nina Khmelnitckaia bested Lana Rush and Kennedy Bridgforth, 6-2, at No. 1 doubles. Kansas’ second nationally ranked duo, No. 61 Anastasia Rychagova and Sonia Smagina, triumphed over Nell Miller and Felicity Maltby at No. 2 doubles, 6-3, giving the Jayhawks the doubles point.
 
The third doubles match on court 3 between KU’s Maria Toran Ribes and Malkia Ngounoue and Tech’s Olivia Peet and Reagan Collins went unfinished after Kansas claimed the doubles point.
 
Kansas’ doubles point Friday marks 15 out of 16 matches this season that KU has won the doubles point. The Jayhawks opened the 2019 season by securing the doubles point in 11-straight matches.
 
In singles, No. 101-ranked Koch blasted her way past Francesca Sella at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-1, giving KU the 2-0 lead.
 
Junior Toran Ribes defeated Rush at No. 6 singles, 6-2, 6-3, moving Kansas one point away from the win.
 
Then on court 1, Rychagova, the nation’s No. 23-ranked singles player, triumphed over No. 48-ranked Maltby, 6-3, 6-2, giving Kansas a 4-0 lead and clinching the match.
 
In two matches decided by super-tiebreakers, Khmelnitckaia (fourth singles) and Plobrung Plipuech (third singles) both fell short to their Texas Tech opponents, Denise-Anto Stoica and Bridgforth, 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 and 6-2, 3-6, 14-12, respectively.
 
The final match to finish took place on court 5, where Smagina outlasted Peet, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1).
 
Kansas’ record moves to 12-4 overall, 3-2 in the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech’s record falls to 13-5 and 3-1 in Big 12 play. 

QUOTES
Head coach Todd Chapman
“Tonight we competed well in all three doubles matches and all six singles matches. Give credit to Texas Tech, as they played really well in doubles and in several singles spots. We were put in some tough positions, but kept playing hard.” 

UP NEXT
No. 17 Kansas will face off against TCU this Sunday, March 31, at noon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center located at Rock Chalk Park.
 
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