No. 1 Oklahoma State Destroys No. 7 Texas to Take Big 12 Tournament and Go 27-0
(The video was done by Pokes Report and the story originated with Oklahoma State University Athletic Media Relations and was contributed to by Pokes Report publisher Robert Allen.)
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s top-ranked women’s tennis team claimed the Big 12 tournament title defeating No. 7 Texas, 4-0, Saturday night at the Greenwood Tennis Center With the win, OSU moved to 27-0 on the season, including a 3-0 mark against Texas, while the loss drops the Longhorns to 21-5 on the year.
The match opened with the doubles point going the way of the Cowgirls, as Raquel Gonzalez and Ayumi Miyamoto defeated Charlotte Chavaipon and Vivian Ovrootsky, 6-2. Kristina Novak and Safiya Carrington took down Taisiya Pachkaleva and Shachf Lieberman, 6-3.
No. 5 Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru left their match unfinished leading against No. 36 Malaika Rapolu and Tanya Sasnou, 4-3.
Singles play opened with OSU’s Novak dominating Lieberman 6-1, 6-2, to improve to 18-0 on the in singles play. Court two followed suit soon after with No. 2 Kajuru defeating No. 122 Chavaipon, 7-5, 6-1.
With one point needed to claim the title, No. 55 Lucia Peyre closed out the Longhorns defeating No. 37 Sasnouskaya, 6-2, 6-2. The three singles wins for Oklahoma State were won in dominating fashion. Peyre clinched the Cowgirls win for the second time in the Big 12 Tournament as she clinched the quarterfinal win over UCF
Three courts went unfinished due to the Cowgirl victory. No. 15 Komar led No. 22 Rapolu 6-3, 2-4, No. 62 Carrington was knotted up with No. 120 Pachkaleva, 2-6, 6-2, and No. 93 Miyamoto was tied with Ovrootsky, 6-3, 4-6.
Novak raced through her singles win on Saturday night was 3-0 in doubles in the Big 12 and she was 2-0 in singles with a match that went unfinished. That performance earned her was Big 12 Tournament MVP for her performance on the weekend.
“Our inside joke is that we don’t have a No. 6 (singles player) because not only is Kristina the best No. 6 singles player in the country, she’s just not a No. 6,” Pokes Report NIL Journalist and Cowgirls tennis player Safiya Carrington said. “She could easily bye playing one, and I think that just shows the depth of this team. That is what gives us confidence and gives us belief and we know every individual on our team is strong. We know anybody is good enough to play in any spot. When push comes to shove we’ll get it done.
“I want to shout out to (Kristina) because she has worked so hard this season and she is humble, one of the hardest workers I know and one of the best teammates,” added Carrington.
The Cowgirls will be back in action for the first round of the NCAA Tournament May 3-4 at the Greenwood Tennis Center.
Big 12 Championship Match
No. 1 Oklahoma State 4 No. 7 Texas 0
Singles competition
No. 15 Anastasiya Komar (OSU) vs. No. 22 Malaika Rapolu (UT) 6-3, 2-5, unfinished
No. 2 Ange Oby Kajuru (OSU) def. No. 122 Charlotte Chavaipon (UT) 7-5, 6-1
No. 55 Lucia Peyre (OSU) def. No. 37 Tanya Sasnouskaya (UT) 6-2, 6-2
No. 62 Safiya Carrington (OSU) vs. No. 120 Taisiya Pachkaleva (UT) 2-6, 6-2, unsinished
No. 93 Ayumi Miyamoto (OSU) vs. Vivian Ovrootsky (UT) 6-3, 4-6, unfinished
Kristina Novak (OSU) def. Shachf Lieberman (UT) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
No. 5 Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru (OSU) vs. No. 36 Malaika Rapolu and Tanya Sasnouskaya (UT) 4-3, unfinished
Ayumi Miyamoto and Raquel Gonzalez (OSU) def. Charlotte Chavaipon and Vivian Ovrootsky (UT) 6-2
Kristina Novak and Safiya Carrington (OSU) def. Taisiya Pachkaleva and Shachf Lieberman (UT) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,2,3)