University of North Texas Athletics
Saturday, April 3
Denton
11 AM
University of North Texas
2
vs
4
Tulsa
Photo by: Mark Woods
UNT Has Big Performances But Falls To Tulsa
4/3/2021 3:43:00 PM | Women's Tennis
DENTON — The top of the North Texas doubles lineup beat the nation's No. 26 ranked doubles team and junior Lucie Devier had a straight set victory over a top 100 opponent in singles but that would be the Mean Green's only wins on Saturday as they lost 4-2 to No. 49 Tulsa.
UNT (6-10) began Saturday's match with an impressive doubles team performance that head coach Sujay Lama mentioned was one of the best they've had all year.
"Everyone on this team has had big-time victories over great opponents," Lama said. "We just didn't all have it today and didn't all put it together in singles."
Saturday's loss ends the Mean Green's four-match winning streak.
Saturday's match began strong as they picked up the doubles point victory with wins at the No. 2 and No. 1 spots in the lineup.
In the middle of the doubles lineup, Nidhi Surapaneni and Maria Ponomareva took down the Hurricanes' (10-4) No. 2 team, 6-2. That put all eyes on court No. 1 where Devier and Saki Oyama were paired up and facing the nation's No. 26 doubles team.
Devier and Oyama broke ahead 5-4 and captured all the moment after that as they pulled off the 6-4 upset win over their nationally ranked opponent to give the Mean Green the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead.
That lead however would be their last of the match as the bottom of Tulsa's singles lineup got three straight set victories to take a 3-1 overall lead.
While the Hurricanes took the lead, on court No. 1 Devier was putting together one of her best performances of the year as she sliced, diced and overpowered her No. 98 nationally ranked opponent in the first set.
Devier jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set and eventually won it 7-5. As Tulsa was preparing to clinch to team victory, Devier put her foot on the gas in the second set and once again controlled the momentum as she won the set 6-4 for the victory.
Less than five minutes later Tulsa clinched the victory at No. 2.
"Proud of Lucie and our doubles team for how they played," Lama said. "We just need more of that for the entire match from everyone. We know we can and have played better."
UNT hosts UT Arlington on Wednesday for its next match.
SINGLES
1. DEVIER, Lucie (UNT) def. #98 Martina Okalova (TULSA) 7-5, 6-4
2. Laia Conde Monfort (TULSA) def. PONOMAREVA, Maria (UNT) 6-4, 6-3
3. SURAPANENI, Nidhi (UNT) vs. Shura Poppe (TULSA) 4-6, 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
4. Vera Ploner (TULSA) def. ZHOU, Kexuan (UNT) 6-3, 6-3
5. Valeryia Rozenkova (TULSA) def. OYAMA, Saki (UNT) 6-2, 6-3
6. Lian Benedejcic (TULSA) def. HUMMEL, Sophia (UNT) 6-4, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. DEVIER, Lucie/OYAMA, Saki (UNT) def. #26 Vera Ploner/Martina Okalova (TULSA) 6-4
2. PONOMAREVA, Maria/SURAPANENI, Nidhi (UNT) def. Laia Conde Monfort/Megan Hopton (TULSA) 6-2
3. Valeryia Rozenkova/Gab Charalapidi (TULSA) def. HUMMEL, Sophia/ZHOU, Kexuan (UNT) 6-3
UNT (6-10) began Saturday's match with an impressive doubles team performance that head coach Sujay Lama mentioned was one of the best they've had all year.
"Everyone on this team has had big-time victories over great opponents," Lama said. "We just didn't all have it today and didn't all put it together in singles."
Saturday's loss ends the Mean Green's four-match winning streak.
Saturday's match began strong as they picked up the doubles point victory with wins at the No. 2 and No. 1 spots in the lineup.
In the middle of the doubles lineup, Nidhi Surapaneni and Maria Ponomareva took down the Hurricanes' (10-4) No. 2 team, 6-2. That put all eyes on court No. 1 where Devier and Saki Oyama were paired up and facing the nation's No. 26 doubles team.
Devier and Oyama broke ahead 5-4 and captured all the moment after that as they pulled off the 6-4 upset win over their nationally ranked opponent to give the Mean Green the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead.
That lead however would be their last of the match as the bottom of Tulsa's singles lineup got three straight set victories to take a 3-1 overall lead.
While the Hurricanes took the lead, on court No. 1 Devier was putting together one of her best performances of the year as she sliced, diced and overpowered her No. 98 nationally ranked opponent in the first set.
Devier jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set and eventually won it 7-5. As Tulsa was preparing to clinch to team victory, Devier put her foot on the gas in the second set and once again controlled the momentum as she won the set 6-4 for the victory.
Less than five minutes later Tulsa clinched the victory at No. 2.
"Proud of Lucie and our doubles team for how they played," Lama said. "We just need more of that for the entire match from everyone. We know we can and have played better."
UNT hosts UT Arlington on Wednesday for its next match.
SINGLES
1. DEVIER, Lucie (UNT) def. #98 Martina Okalova (TULSA) 7-5, 6-4
2. Laia Conde Monfort (TULSA) def. PONOMAREVA, Maria (UNT) 6-4, 6-3
3. SURAPANENI, Nidhi (UNT) vs. Shura Poppe (TULSA) 4-6, 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
4. Vera Ploner (TULSA) def. ZHOU, Kexuan (UNT) 6-3, 6-3
5. Valeryia Rozenkova (TULSA) def. OYAMA, Saki (UNT) 6-2, 6-3
6. Lian Benedejcic (TULSA) def. HUMMEL, Sophia (UNT) 6-4, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. DEVIER, Lucie/OYAMA, Saki (UNT) def. #26 Vera Ploner/Martina Okalova (TULSA) 6-4
2. PONOMAREVA, Maria/SURAPANENI, Nidhi (UNT) def. Laia Conde Monfort/Megan Hopton (TULSA) 6-2
3. Valeryia Rozenkova/Gab Charalapidi (TULSA) def. HUMMEL, Sophia/ZHOU, Kexuan (UNT) 6-3
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Martina Okalova / 0 (98/-) [TULSA]
54
76
#2 Singles Match
12
Laia Conde Monfort / 0 [TULSA]
66
43
#3 Singles Match
1234
Shura Poppe / 0 [TULSA]
6310
462UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Vera Ploner / 0 [TULSA]
66
33
#5 Singles Match
12
Valeryia Rozenkova / 0 [TULSA]
66
23
#6 Singles Match
12
Lian Benedejcic / 0 [TULSA]
66
41
Order of Finish:
4,5,6,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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