Feb. 15, 2013

Results

OXFORD, Miss. – In their first outdoor match of the 2013 season, the No. 26 ranked Ole Miss women’s tennis team lost a hard fought match to Oklahoma State here Friday at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center.

The Rebels return to the courts Sunday at 11 a.m. to host No. 39 Washington.  Fans will have a chance to win an iPod shuffle.  The match is scheduled to be played outside, but could be moved indoors to the Gillom Sports Center, depending on the weather.

Oklahoma State took the opening doubles point, but the two teams split the first sets in singles.  Four of the matches went three sets, but Oklahoma State won all of them including the clincher at No. 6 singles.

“Obviously this isn’t the result we wanted,” head coach Mark Beyers said.  “The result doesn’t indicate how close the match really was and the chances that we had.  Even though it’s 6-1 we were in the match, we just didn’t capitalize on the opportunities.  We have to start taking advantage of those chances.  We haven’t done that yet this year.  We haven’t done a good job when we get behind in sets of coming back.    We have to do a better job at that.”

The Rebels won at No. 1 doubles convincingly as 39th-ranked Caroline Rohde-Moe and Marija Milutinovic downed OSU’s Malika Rose and Kanyapat Narattana 8-1.  But the Cowgirls claimed the No. 2 and 3 matches 8-5 for the point.

Each team won three first sets.  Milutinovic finished off Narattana 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 singles to put the Rebels on the board.

Oklahoma State’s C.C. Sardinha powered her way to a 6-3, 6-2 win over sophomore Erin Stephens at No. 3 singles to put the Cowgirls back on top for good.   

Freshman Mai El Kamash dug herself back into the match on court two against Meghan Blevins after dropping the first set.  Blevins ended up winning it in three, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to make it 3-1.  The match was decided when junior Vief Vlaar, playing her first dual match of the season, fell to Karyn Guttormsen 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 6 singles.

Follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissWTennis and on Facebook at OleMissWTennis.

#36 Oklahoma State 6, #26 Ole Miss 1
Doubles
1. #39 Caroline Rohde-Moe/Marija Milutinovic (OM) def. Malika Rose/Kanyapat Narattana (OSU) 8-1
2. Meghan Blevins/Karyn Guttormsen (OSU) def. Erin Stephens/Santa Shumilina (OM) 8-5
3. Maria Alvarez/Lorena Gheorge (OSU) def. Julia Jones/Mai El Kamash (OM) 8-5
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1. #75 Malika Rose (OSU) def. #27 Caroline Rohde-Moe (OM) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. #125 Meghan Blevins (OSU) def. Mai El Kamash (OM) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
3. C.C. Sardinha (OSU) def. Erin Stephens (OM) 6-2, 6-3
4. Maria Alvarez (OSU) def. Julia Jones (OM) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Marija Milutinovic (OM) def. Kanyapat Narattana (OSU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Karyn Guttormsen (OSU) def. Vief Vlaar (OM) 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 2, 6, 4, 1