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Sunday, February 9
Tucson, Arizona
11:00 AM
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Arizona
Linares Comes Up Clutch in Final Set, K-State Holds Off Arizona, 4-3
Feb 09, 2020 | Tennis
TUCSON, Ariz. – In a winner-take all situation, junior Maria Linares locked up the last set of the day to solidify the Kansas State women's tennis team's fourth-consecutive victory with the win over Arizona, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at the LaNelle Robson Tennis Center.
After dropping the first set, 4-6, Linares persevered in the last two sets, 6-3, 7-5, over Arizona's Talya Zandberg to clinch the win.
"Honestly, just an incredible effort from Maria in the end," said Head Coach Jordan Smith. "The match came down to her court and she just found a way. That's all we've been talking about with this group. Give all you can and remember you're never alone out there. The team stepped up huge with their cheering and that helped Maria to keep fighting. This was such an overall team effort by us and the spark we've been looking for. I'm proud of this group and the work they are putting in."
Coming down to the final moments of the match, Linares battled her way back into the No. 1 singles match with a decisive second-set win before turning on the heat at the end to break the 3-3 tie with Arizona, closing the third set at 7-5. This is Linares' fourth straight win at the No. 1 spot this season.
The match featured different runs by both teams in singles play as Arizona stormed back in the latter part with two victories, bringing the score to 3-3 all in advance of Linares' clutch point.
Expanding the lead early on in singles play, junior Margot Decker and sophomore Rosanna Maffei both slid by their Arizona opponents in two sets to separate the score from Arizona at 3-1. Decker outdueled Arizona's Abby Amos with a score line of 6-1, 6-3, which gave her five-straight victories from the No. 3 spot. Maffei followed up Decker's performances with a crucial win in the No. 4 spot, as she earned the Wildcats' third point of the day over Arizona's Khim Iglupas 6-3, 7-5.
Before the match came down to the No. 1 position in singles play, Turco and junior Lilla Barzo attempted to close the match in the No. 2 and 5 spots, but fell short in their third sets as Barzo could not gain the advantage over Arizona's Gitte Heynemans, falling 6-1, 4-6, 5-7. Turco attempted to come back after clinching the second set in her match, but came up short in her final set, resulting in a 2-6, 6-2, 3-6 loss to the Wildcats' Kirsten Prellle.
For the second straight match, K-State obtained the doubles point after shaking up the lineup card starting in yesterday's match against North Texas. The pairing of Linares and sophomore Karine-Marion Job has paid dividends in the No. 1 spot as the duo handled Arizona's Maria Van Aelst and Kirsten Prelle with a set score of 6-3.
"Both days it started with doubles and we've been able to take advantage of it," said Smith.
Decker and junior Anna Turco got back on track in doubles competition, earning a hard-fought victory over the Wildcats' Heynemans and Iglupas, 7-5.
The four-game win streak is the longest run for any K-State team since February 15-23, 2019, when the Wildcats also won four in a row.
Over the last two years taking on Arizona, K-State has now recorded back-to-back victories over the Pac-12 foe.
K-State looks to extend its winning streak as the Wildcats return home in preparation for their third home match of the season against Washington on Friday, February 14 at 2 p.m., CT.
"Happy to pick up two wins on the road and excited to be back home on Friday against Washington," Smith said.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
Kansas State at Arizona
February 9, 2020
LaNelle Robson Tennis Center
Doubles Play
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
No. 1. Linares/Job (KSU) def. Van Aelst/Prelle (UA) 6-3
No. 2. Decker Turco (KSU) def. Heynemans/Iglupas (UA) 7-5
No. 3 Zandberg/Amos (UA) def. Mesquita/Barzo (KSU) 6-3
Singles Play:
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 4, 2, 5, 1
No. 1. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Talya Zandberg (UA) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
No. 2. Kirsten Prellle (UA) def. Anna Turco (KSU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
No. 3. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Abby Amos (UA) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) def. Khim Iglupas (UA) 6-3, 7-5
No. 5. Gitte Heynemans (UA) def. Lilla Barzo (KSU) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
No. 6. Kayla Wilkins (UA) def. Karine-Marion Job (KSU) 6-3, 7-5
After dropping the first set, 4-6, Linares persevered in the last two sets, 6-3, 7-5, over Arizona's Talya Zandberg to clinch the win.
"Honestly, just an incredible effort from Maria in the end," said Head Coach Jordan Smith. "The match came down to her court and she just found a way. That's all we've been talking about with this group. Give all you can and remember you're never alone out there. The team stepped up huge with their cheering and that helped Maria to keep fighting. This was such an overall team effort by us and the spark we've been looking for. I'm proud of this group and the work they are putting in."
Coming down to the final moments of the match, Linares battled her way back into the No. 1 singles match with a decisive second-set win before turning on the heat at the end to break the 3-3 tie with Arizona, closing the third set at 7-5. This is Linares' fourth straight win at the No. 1 spot this season.
The match featured different runs by both teams in singles play as Arizona stormed back in the latter part with two victories, bringing the score to 3-3 all in advance of Linares' clutch point.
Expanding the lead early on in singles play, junior Margot Decker and sophomore Rosanna Maffei both slid by their Arizona opponents in two sets to separate the score from Arizona at 3-1. Decker outdueled Arizona's Abby Amos with a score line of 6-1, 6-3, which gave her five-straight victories from the No. 3 spot. Maffei followed up Decker's performances with a crucial win in the No. 4 spot, as she earned the Wildcats' third point of the day over Arizona's Khim Iglupas 6-3, 7-5.
Before the match came down to the No. 1 position in singles play, Turco and junior Lilla Barzo attempted to close the match in the No. 2 and 5 spots, but fell short in their third sets as Barzo could not gain the advantage over Arizona's Gitte Heynemans, falling 6-1, 4-6, 5-7. Turco attempted to come back after clinching the second set in her match, but came up short in her final set, resulting in a 2-6, 6-2, 3-6 loss to the Wildcats' Kirsten Prellle.
For the second straight match, K-State obtained the doubles point after shaking up the lineup card starting in yesterday's match against North Texas. The pairing of Linares and sophomore Karine-Marion Job has paid dividends in the No. 1 spot as the duo handled Arizona's Maria Van Aelst and Kirsten Prelle with a set score of 6-3.
"Both days it started with doubles and we've been able to take advantage of it," said Smith.
Decker and junior Anna Turco got back on track in doubles competition, earning a hard-fought victory over the Wildcats' Heynemans and Iglupas, 7-5.
The four-game win streak is the longest run for any K-State team since February 15-23, 2019, when the Wildcats also won four in a row.
Over the last two years taking on Arizona, K-State has now recorded back-to-back victories over the Pac-12 foe.
K-State looks to extend its winning streak as the Wildcats return home in preparation for their third home match of the season against Washington on Friday, February 14 at 2 p.m., CT.
"Happy to pick up two wins on the road and excited to be back home on Friday against Washington," Smith said.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
Kansas State at Arizona
February 9, 2020
LaNelle Robson Tennis Center
Doubles Play
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
No. 1. Linares/Job (KSU) def. Van Aelst/Prelle (UA) 6-3
No. 2. Decker Turco (KSU) def. Heynemans/Iglupas (UA) 7-5
No. 3 Zandberg/Amos (UA) def. Mesquita/Barzo (KSU) 6-3
Singles Play:
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 4, 2, 5, 1
No. 1. Maria Linares (KSU) def. Talya Zandberg (UA) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
No. 2. Kirsten Prellle (UA) def. Anna Turco (KSU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
No. 3. Margot Decker (KSU) def. Abby Amos (UA) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) def. Khim Iglupas (UA) 6-3, 7-5
No. 5. Gitte Heynemans (UA) def. Lilla Barzo (KSU) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
No. 6. Kayla Wilkins (UA) def. Karine-Marion Job (KSU) 6-3, 7-5
Players Mentioned
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