Ludueña has unfinished business, but KU wins tennis Sunflower Showdown

By Benton Smith     Apr 5, 2015

John Young
Kansas senior Maria Belen Luduena returns a shot during Kansas' senior day match up against Kansas State Saturday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

When Kansas University women’s tennis coach Todd Chapman describes the passion senior Maria Belen Ludueña has for competition and for her school, he uses her actions while watching a KU men’s basketball game as a reference point.

Chapman has attended games at Allen Fieldhouse with Ludueña and claims “she could hurt somebody within a four- or five-foot radius” with her fervent responses to the action on the floor.

So one can imagine how disappointed she felt Saturday afternoon at Jayhawk Tennis Center when she didn’t get to complete her doubles or singles matches against rival Kansas State, because KU already had clinched overall team victories in both portions of the dual on the way to a 4-0 sweep.

While Ludueña’s afternoon concluded with her coach and teammates honoring KU’s lone senior on Court No. 1 with a framed uniform, flowers, kind words and hugs, there was a part of her that wanted even more on her special day. She would’ve loved to have contributed a win. Or at least had the chance to finish competing.

Ludueña and doubles partner Madison Harrison trailed 5-3 when KU sealed its doubles victory. But she had hit her groove in the second set of singles competition after dropping the first set, 6-3, to K-State’s Carolina Costamagna. She led the second set, 3-2, when KU wrapped up the victory.

John Young
Kansas senior Maria Belen Luduena returns a shot during Kansas' senior day match up against Kansas State Saturday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

“I don’t know what would’ve happened if I was still playing,” the smiling senior said.

That’s the competitor in Ludueña, a native of Curicó, Chile. That side of her also showed up as Chapman sang her praises, noting she had a grade-point average better than 3.8.

She couldn’t let that stand: “3.91,” Ludueña corrected him.

Chapman, who connected with the fiery Chilean because they both wear their emotions on their sleeves, marveled at how much she loves KU.

“You’d imagine she was from right down the road in Kansas City or she was from Topeka,” the coach said, “because there’s not a student-athlete or student at KU who bleeds blue more than Belen Ludueña.”

John Young
Kansas freshman Madison Harrison returns a shot during Kansas' senior day match up against Kansas State Saturday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

She assimilated into the Jayhawk culture quickly, during her freshman year.

“I hated Missouri, even though I didn’t know the school,” Ludueña said with a chuckle.

So when she heard K-State was KU’s new chief rival?

“Well, it’s my rival, too.”

Saturday’s Kansas win marked the first time Ludueña experienced a rivalry victory. The Wildcats had won the previous six meetings in the series.

So she left her adopted home courts proud — and perhaps a tad envious — of the singles victories by teammates Smith Hinton, Rachel McNeely and Lauren Pickens, as well as the doubles wins by Hinton and Summer Collins, and McNeely and Free State High product Alexis Czapinski.

“It’s a team sport,” Ludueña said. “So if we win, if we get the ‘W,’ I should be happy. It doesn’t matter if I finish or not.”

Kansas 4, Kansas State 0

Results (UF) — unfinished

Doubles

Smith Hinton-Summer Collins, KU, def. Iva Bago-Livia Cirnu, K-State, 6-3

Rachel McNeely-Alexis Czapinski, KU, def. Maria Panaite-Tegan Louw, K-State, 6-1

Carolina Costamagna-Palma Juhasz, K-State, led Madison Harrison-Maria Belen Luduena, KU, 5-3

Singles

Smith Hinton, KU, def. Palma Juhasz, K-State, 6-1, 6-2

Rachel McNeely, KU, def. Maria Panaite, K-State, 6-1, 6-1

Lauren Pickens, KU, def. Tegan Louw, K-State, 6-3, 6-4

Carolina Costamagna, K-State, 6-3, 2-3, vs. Maria Belen Luduena, KU (UF)

Madison Harrison, KU, led 6-3, 5-4, vs. Iva Bago, K-State (UF)

Livia Curnu, K-State, led 7-5, 5-4, vs. Summer Collins, KU (UF)

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