No. 1 Oklahoma State Goes 29-0 Beating SMU to Move to Super Regional and Vols
STILLWATER – Top-seeded overall Oklahoma State never seemed to feel challenged on Sunday in the Regional final against SMU. The Cowgirls are so comfortable on their home courts and after the morning run subsided and the courts were dry the Cowgirls went to work. Lucia Peyre may be playing her best tennis of the year. Peyre came out and blitzed the first set on SMU’s clinching hero in the win on Satruday against Alabama. The second set was more competitive but the strong serve and groundstrokes from the native of Argentina put the native Texan away and clinched the match 4-0. It was a winning serve that ended the match. Oklahoma State moves on next week to face Tennessee in the Super Regional.
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“As Coach (Young) said in the locker room it was a really nice win,” Peyre said. “This was first time for me in the round of 16. I think I played my best tennis during the Big 12 Tournament and back at the beginning when we played Michigan, Ohio State, and Pepperdine. Since I came here I just feel the only thing I am doing is improving everyday. We’re just trying to enjoy ourselves on the court.”
“Lucia is playing great, this is her best tennis of the year,” head coach Chris Young said. “I would say that her Pepperdine match early in the year may have been her best match. You know Janis the girl she beat, is playing number one for them right now. She is playing great. It gives our lineup a bit more punch.”
The Cowgirls made quick work of the doubles point as Kristina Novak and Safiya Carrington won their set 6-0 over Millie Skelton and Caroline McGinley of SMU. Both of the senior OSU players served the ball well and Carrington was especially effective cutting off the ball at the net with punch volleys for winning points. Noval with her trademark groundstrokes fired plenty of winners from the baseline. It was an impressive win.
On court one the two teams top doubles pairs were playing a hardfought set and over on the No. 2 doubles court the Cowgirls pair of Ayumi Miyamoto and Raquel Gonzalez won their set 6-2 over the Mustangs Hadley Doyle and Drew Morris. That clinched the doubles point and allowed the Cowgirls to head to singles for the eighth match in a row with the 1-0 advantage.
“Having that doubles point does give us a lot of confidence,” Peyre said as a player that is currently playing singles only.
Miyamoto was really fast in her singles match as she used a variety of spins, lobs mixed with groundstrokes and a strong serve to Millie Skelton of SMU 6-0, 6-1. The only game she gave up was the second to last of the match as she almost closed it out 6-0, but she missed a shot at the net and that forced the extra game. Miyamoto checukled about it and then went about here business. The longest tenured player on the Cowgirls is a true team leader.
“They were really good players (SMU) but I just had to play and try to do my best and it paid off,” Miyamoto said of her quick singles win. “One thing I think we all are doing is being very collected (talking about emotions).”
“Ayumi is always there to win her point and she is very important to us,” Peyre added.
“She is the heart of this team and has been for five years,” Young said of Miyamoto. “She does everything we expect of her and no matter who comes in and out of the program over the last five-years they have had to follow her leadership. She is more confident as a leader.”
It finished quickly after that as Ange Oby Kajuru closed out Drew Morris of SMU 7-5, 6-3 on court two. Then on court three Peyre finished off her match.
Oklahoma State ony dropped one set on all of the courts and now prepares to face No. 16 seed Tennessee, who took care of their business in their regional in Knoxville beating Murray State 4-0 in the first round and then eliminating No. 21 Duke 4-0 earlier Sunday.
Tennessee will visit Oklahoma State for a 3 p.m. Super Regional that will be played in the Greenwood Tennis Center’s outdoor courts preceeding the Cowboys baseball game with Texas Tech on Saturday, May 11. It will make for a great doubleheader of sports on campus. The winner moves on to the NCAA Tennis Championships on those same Greenwood Tennis Center courts May 16-25.
NCAA Tennis Regional - Stillwater, Okla.
No. 1 Oklahoma State 4 SMU 0
Singles competition
No. 18 Anastasiya Komar (OSU) vs. Taylor Johnson (SMU) 6-2, 4-6, unfinished
No. 3 Ange Oby Kajuru (OSU) def. Drew Morris (SMU) 7-5, 6-1
No. 46 Lucia Peyre (OSU) def. Hadley Doyle (SMU) 6-3, 6-0
No. 72 Safiya Carrington (OSU) vs. Lana Mavor (SMU) 6-0, 6-6, unfinished
No. 84 Ayumi Miyamoto (OSU) def. Millie Skelton (SMU) 6-0, 6-1
Kristina Novak (OSU) vs. Caroline McGinley (SMU) 6-4, 2-5, unfinished
Doubles competition
No. 3 Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru (OSU) vs. No. 45 Lana Mavor and Taylor Johnson (SMU) 3-4, unfinished
Ayumi Miyamoto and Raquel Gonzalez (OSU) def. Hadley Doyle and Drew Morris (SMU) 6-2
Kristina Novak and Safiya Carrington (OSU) def. Millie Skelton and Caroline McGinley (SMU) 6-0
Order of finish:
Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,3)