Cowgirl Tennis Upsets Oklahoma to Advance to Sweet 16

No. 20 Oklahoma State knocked off No. 6 Oklahoma, 4-2, to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon in Norman.

This is the third time in the last four tournaments that the Cowgirls have reached the Sweet 16, and it’s their biggest upset in the NCAA Tournament since a 4-3 win over No. 1 California in the semifinals in 2016. OSU will host No. 25 Stanford in the Stillwater super regional on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Oklahoma took an early lead by winning the doubles point. No. 23 Julia Garcia Ruiz and Alina Shcherbinina got the first win, upsetting No. 9 Anastasiya Komar and Rose Marie Nijkamp, 6-4.

The Cowgirls answered with a win on court two as Kylie Collins and Marcela Lopez took down Chloe Noel and Salakthip Ounmuang, 6-4. With the doubles point on the line, Sooners Ava Catanzarite and Gloriana Nahum thwarted a comeback effort from Gracie Epps and Melisa Ercan to win, 7-5, and take the doubles point.

Trailing 1-0, OSU won four of the five singles matches to finish to complete the comeback. Oklahoma claimed the first singles point as Nahum beat No. 125 Lopez to double the Sooner lead. No. 115 Nijkamp then got the Cowgirls on the board, defeating Ounmuang, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).

Oklahoma State then got wins in three third sets to capture the final three points, starting with No. 77 Epps beating Catanzarite, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. Komar was the next to finish, besting No. 30 Garcia Ruiz 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-2, before Ercan finished off Shcherbinina 0-6, 7-5, 6-2, to complete the upset.

Singles Competition

1. Melisa Ercan (OSU) def. No. 33 Alina Shcherbinina (OU) 0-6, 7-5, 6-2

2. No. 84 Anastasiya Komar (OSU) def. No. 30 Julia Garcia Guiz (OU) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-2

3. No. 115 Rose Marie Nijkamp (OSU) def. Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)

4. Kylie Collins (OSU) vs. Kylie Collins (OU) 1-6, 6-4, 3-5, unfinished

5. No. 77 Gracie Epps (OSU) def. Ava Catanzarite (OU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

6. Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. No. 125 Marcela Lopez (OSU) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles Competition  

1. No. 23 Julia Garcia Ruiz/Alina Shcherbinina (OU) def. No. 9 Anastasiya Komar/Rose Marie Nijkamp (OSU) 6-4

2. Kylie Collins/Marcela Lopez (OSU) def. Chloe Noel/Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) 6-4

3. Ava Catanzarite/Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. Gracie Epps/Melisa Ercan (OSU) 7-5

Order of Completion: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,3,5,2,1)