No. 17 Women's Tennis Handed First Big 12 Defeat at No. 14 Texas Tech 4-1No. 17 Women's Tennis Handed First Big 12 Defeat at No. 14 Texas Tech 4-1
Conor Kvatek / UCF Athletics

No. 17 Women's Tennis Handed First Big 12 Defeat at No. 14 Texas Tech 4-1

by Alex Clough

LUBBOCK, Texas - The No. 17 UCF women’s tennis team suffered its first defeat of Big 12 play Sunday afternoon against Texas Tech, 4-1.

Also serving as the Knights’ (15-2, 7-1) first loss in seven, the Red Raiders (13-2, 6-1) claimed the doubles point before taking first sets on four courts.

Against the fourth-ranked doubles tandem in the nation, 30th-ranked Olivia Lincer and Hannah Rylatt were handed a difficult 6-3 defeat on court one, which was paired with a Red Raiders win on three.

In singles, a pair of tiebreaks fell each team’s way, while Texas Tech secured early leads on the majority of courts. A Rylatt defeat on six was immediately rectified with 85th-ranked Biolay’s 13th win of the season, taking court three in convincing fashion against Mariia Hlahola, 6-2, 6-2. 

While Olivia Bergler forced a third set, along with Psonka sitting just two games away from a win on court four, Texas Tech grabbed wins on the front two courts as 119th-ranked Aya El Aouni was bested by Kate Dmitrichenko, 6-4, 7-5.

110th-ranked Olivia Lincer dropped her first match of the season, with Texas Tech’s Avelina Sayfetdinova taking the front-court duel, 7-6(7), 7-5.

UP NEXT

The Knights will return home for a three-match homestand across two weekends, first welcoming Cincinnati on Friday, March 28 and West Virginia on Sunday, March 30.

Singles Results

  1. Avelina Sayfetdinova (TTU) def. #110 Olivia Lincer (UCF) 7-6 (9-7), 7-5 
  2. Kate Dmitrichenko (TTU) def. #119 Aya El Aouni (UCF) 6-4, 7-5 
  3. #85 Sophia Biolay (UCF) def. Mariia Hlahola (TTU) 6-2, 6-2 
  4. Andreea Lila (TTU) vs. Jade Psonka (UCF) 6-7 (12-14), 0-4, unfinished 
  5. Hailey Murphy (TTU) vs. Olivia Bergler (UCF) 6-4, 4-6, 1-4, unfinished 
  6. Jermine Sherif (TTU) def. Hannah Rylatt (UCF) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles Results

  1. #4 Avelina Sayfetdinova/Mariia Hlahola (TTU) def. #30 Olivia Lincer/Hannah Rylatt (UCF) 6-3
  2. Sophia Biolay/Aya El Aouni (UCF) def. Kate Dmitrichenko/Hailey Murphy (TTU) 6-3 
  3. Andreea Lila/Jermine Sherif (TTU) def. Olivia Bergler/Jade Psonka (UCF) 6-4