Lubbock, Texas ? Kansas University won the double points, but then dropped four of five singles matches in a 4-2 Big 12 tennis loss to No. 13th-ranked Texas Tech on Sunday at McLead Tennis Courts.
No. 30 Kansas’ No. 2 doubles team of Maria Jose Cardona and Summer Collins claimed a 7-6 (7-4) victory over Tech’s Sarah Dvorak and Sabrina Federici, and at No. 3 KU’s Smith Hinton and Anastasiya Rhychagova beat Lynn Kiro and Felicity Maltby, 7-5.
But Cardona gave KU its only singles win, a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback over Katelyn Jackson at No. 6.
“Today was a great learning experience,” Kansas coach Todd Chapman said. “We played ourselves into some great positions today in one of the toughest places to win a road match against one of the top teams in the country. In some of those positions we found ways to finish things off, and in some we came up short. We played a tough doubles point and had the majority of the team really compete in singles. We have to learn it takes the whole team to go on the road against a tough team and come home with a win.”
Kansas (12-5 overall, 2-2 Big 12) will play Friday at West Virginia.
Doubles
Gabriela Talaba-Alex Valenstein, TT, def. Nina Khmelnitckaia-Janet Koch, 7-5
Maria Jose Cardona-Summer Collins, KU, def., Sarah Dvorak-Sabrina Federici, 7-6 (7-4)
Smith Hinton-Anastasiya Rychagova, KU, def. Lynn Kiro-Felicity Maltby, 7-5
Singles
Rychagova, KU, vs. Talaba, 1-6, 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
Dvorak, TT, def. Hinton, 7-5, 7-6
Valenstein, TT, def., Koch, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Maltby, TT, def., Khmelnitckaia, 7-5, 6-0
Federici, TT, def. Collins, 6-3, 6-1
Cardona, KU, def. Katelyn Jackson, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
