Tulane University
Tulsa
WTN Season Comes to a Close with 4-1 Loss to No. 30 Tulsa
Apr 21, 2016 | Women's Tennis
Box Score | Printable Box | Coach Sisk Interview
MEMPHIS - The eighth-seeded Tulane women's tennis team (8-14) put up a valiant fight against top-seeded Tulsa (19-4) in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championships, but the Green Wave's season came to a close after suffering a 4-1 defeat. Sophomore Naz Karagoz recorded the Wave's lone point with a straight-set singles victory on court two over No. 121 Ksenia Laskutova, marking her first ranked victory on the year. Today's loss also marked the final match for seniors Ipek Birol, Jacqui Katz and Meredith Maltby.
"Today was a heck of a fight," Tulane head coach Terri Sisk stated. "In singles I was sitting there thinking we are going to beat Tulsa. The energy, the effort, the fight, the grind, was all there. If this is any indicator of our future, with this group of girls, it's very bright. I couldn't be any prouder."
A slow start in doubles resulted in a 1-0 deficit, but the Green Wave shot out of the gates in singles. At one point, Tulane was up 4-1 on both courts two and four and up 4-3 on court one. However, after Karagoz evened the team match at 1-1 with her win, Tulsa weathered the storm, retaliating with straight-set victories on courts one and four, as the latter included a 7-6(3) tiebreaker in the opening set. Kyla Klier fought back in her second set on court three, up 3-1 and later 5-4, but Tulsa rallied to clinch the set 7-5 and the overall team match 4-1.
GREEN WAVE RESULTS
#30 Tulsa 4, Tulane 1
Singles competition - 2, 4, 1, 3
1. #104 Saana Saarteinen (TULSA) def. Ipek Birol (TLN) 7-5, 6-3
2. Naz Karagoz (TLN) def. #121 Ksenia Laskutova (TULSA) 6-4, 6-2
3. Rongrong Leenabancho (TULSA) def. Kyla Klier (TLN) 6-1, 7-5
4. Marcelina Cichon (TULSA) def. Elena Muller (TLN) 7-6(3), 6-2
5. Renata Kuricova (TULSA) vs. Jacqui Katz (TLN) 1-2, unfinished
6. Meredith Maltby (TLN) vs. Martha Matoula (TULSA) no result
Doubles competition - 3, 2
1. Ksenia Laskutova/Renata Kuricova (TULSA) vs. Sade Atkinson/Ipek Birol (TLN) 4-5, unfinished
2. Rongrong Leenabancho/Martha Matoula (TULSA) def. Elena Muller/Naz Karagoz (TLN) 6-2
3. Saana Saarteinen/Mahitha Dadireddy (TULSA) def. Jacqui Katz/Kyla Klier (TLN) 6-0
Players Mentioned
