NORMAN – The No. 23 UCF women’s tennis team dropped its first road test of the season at the ITA Kickoff Weekend, as the Knights battled but ultimately fell to No. 16 Oklahoma, 4-0. The squad will face Illinois Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
The doubles competition remained close throughout, with Sophia Biolay and Jaleesa Leslie earning an early break on court three to go up on their competitors. Olivia Lincer and Jantje Tilbuerger fell down a break and were unable to secure a breakback, as they were defeated by Oklahoma’s Chloe Noel and Julia Garcia Ruiz on court two, 6-4. Shortly after, the court one duo of Noel Saidenova and Anique Kattenberg lost to Oklahoma’s top pairing, Dana Guzman and Alina Shcherbinina, 6-4 to drop the doubles point to the Sooners.
Shifting to the singles portion of the match, the Knights continued to struggle to find rhythm, dropping all but one first set. Saidenova picked up the first set 6-4 on court four over Garcia Ruiz. Leslie struggled against Noel at position five, falling 6-2, 6-1. Within moments of each other, Biolay and Kattenberg fell to their opponents, No. 37 Guzman 6-1, 6-1 and No. 112 Ava Catanzarite 7-5, 6-1, respectively, to seal the match at 4-0 for Oklahoma.
The remainder of the courts went unfinished.
UCF concludes action at the ITA Kickoff Weekend Sunday at 11 a.m. against Illinois.
#16 Oklahoma 4, #23 UCF 0
Singles
1. Alina Shcherbinina (OU) vs. Olivia Lincer (UCF) 7-6 (7-5), 1-2, unfinished
2. Dana Guzman (OU) def. Sophia Biolay (UCF) 6-1, 6-1
3. Florencia Urrutia (OU) vs. Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) 6-4, 2-2, unfinished
4. Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) vs. Noel Saidenova (UCF) 4-6, 3-3, unfinished
5. Chloe Noel (OU) def. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 6-2, 6-1
6. Ava Catanzarite (OU) def. Anique Kattenberg (UCF) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles
1. Dana Guzman/Alina Shcherbinina (OU) def. Noel Saidenova/Anique Kattenberg (UCF) 6-4
2. Chloe Noel/Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. Olivia Lincer/Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) 6-4
3. Romana Cisovska/Roisin Gilheany (OU) vs. Sophia Biolay/Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 4-5, unfinished
Match Notes: UCF 1-0; National ranking #23 Oklahoma 2-2; National ranking #16
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5,2,6)