The women’s tennis team fell to Texas A&M, 4-3 on Saturday, losing their third Big 12 match this season and second match at home.
OU (13-4, 3-3 Big 12) for the first time lost all three doubles matches putting them at an early deficit to the Aggies, 0-1.
“A&M was a tough match,” junior Tara Eckel said. “The doubles point was a strong point for them and they took advantage of that to sweep the doubles point against us.”
Ecklel and sophomore Marie-Pier Huet lost to A&M’s Morgan Frank and Stephanie Davidson, 8-4. This is only their second doubles match of the season.
At the No. 3 spot, sophomore Tina Radan and junior Maria Kalashnikova fell to Christi Liles and Sheri Olivier, 8-4. Losing this match clenched the doubles point for the Aggies.
“The Aggies played great and we couldn’t weather their storm,” Radan said. “Matching up against great doubles teams like Texas A&M makes it a great opportunity to see what we need to work on mentally and physically.”
A&M’s No. 71 Elze’ Potgieter and Nazari Urbina defeated OU’s No. 29 junior Ana-Maria Constantinescu and freshman Teona Tsertsvadze in a close battle at the No. 1 spot, 8-6.
After losing the doubles point, the Sooners fought back in singles, but they only won three of the six matches.
“We are trying to not get discouraged after losing doubles, but we needed a little more energy and confidence in singles,” Eckel said.
At the No. 1 spot, No. 93 Constantinescu overcame No. 58 Potgieter, in identical sets, 6-4, 6-4. This win clamed OU first point.
Eckel won the Sooners next singles point at the No. 6 spot defeating Christi Liles in an intense tiebreaker, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, making the overall score 3-2.
The Sooners fought hard in the last singles match, but the Aggies prevailed in a crucial tiebreaker. At the No. 2 spot, Huet fell to the Aggies No. 70 Nazari Urbina, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“We will learn from this loss are ready to take on Oklahoma State head on,” Radan said. “ We are training harder than ever to grasp another Big 12 win,”
OU will host Bedlam at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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